I love making a little extra food on Saturday and Sunday to help get me through the week. A favorite is Weekend Roast Chicken. I mix a bunch of winter veggies and place lightly seasoned chicken along with a squeeze of lemon on top. I pop the pan in a hot oven, and soon, I have a deliciously comforting meal. The chicken is both crisp and juicy, and the vegetables are perfectly cooked and have a great flavor thanks to the chicken and lemon. And there is plenty of chicken for the week to make soups, tacos, sandwiches, and anything else you crave.
Ingredients for Weekend Roast Chicken:
2 chicken 3 1/2 -4 pounds each
10 cloves garlic, peeled
8 carrots, peeled and cut into 2 inch pieces
2 large fennel, halved and sliced
3 medium-sized red onions, halved and quartered
1 lemon - cut into 8 pieces
1 lemon, zested and halved
3-4 fresh sprigs rosemary
3-4 fresh sprigs of thyme
1 teaspoon kosher salt + 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper + 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Time-Saving Tip: Cut the vegetables in advance.
Let's see what we need.
We're ready to cook.
Cut the vegetables and transfer them to a roasting pan. Add the rosemary, thyme, cut-up lemon, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.
Rub, a half of a lemon all over each chicken. Then drizzle each one with 1 tablespoon of oil, about 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/8 teaspoon of pepper. Sprinkle the chickens with the zest.
Toss the veggies with 2 tablespoon of the olive oil. Place the chickens on top of the carrot mixture and transfer the pan to a preheated 425 degree oven. After about 45 minutes start checking for doneness. Stick the thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh. When it registers 165 degrees, it is done; if it is one or two degrees less, that is okay, take it out of the oven. If not, roast longer. Try not to overcook or else the chicken will be dry. Once the chicken is out of the oven, let it rest for at least ten minutes before carving. The chicken will continue cooking a bit while it is resting.
It's ready! Weekend Roasted Chicken looks incredibly delicious and tastes even better. Once you start making extra chicken there is no turning back.
Enjoy!
Weekend Roast Chicken:
2 chicken 3 1/2 -4 pounds each
10 cloves garlic, peeled
8 carrots, peeled and cut into 2 inch pieces
2 large fennel, halved and sliced
3 medium-sized red onions, halved and quartered
1 lemon - cut into 8 pieces
1 lemon, zested and halved
3-4 fresh sprigs rosemary
3-4 fresh sprigs of thyme
1 teaspoon kosher salt + 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper + 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Cut the vegetables and transfer them to a roasting pan. Add the rosemary, thyme, cut-up lemon, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.
Rub, a half of a lemon all over each chicken. Then drizzle each one with 1 tablespoon of oil, about 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/8 teaspoon of pepper. Sprinkle the chickens with the zest.
Toss the veggies with 2 tablespoon of the olive oil. Place the chickens on top of the carrot mixture and transfer the pan to a preheated 425 degree oven. After about 45 minutes start checking for doneness. Stick the thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh. When it registers 165 degrees, it is done; if it is one or two degrees less, that is okay, take it out of the oven. If not, roast longer. Try not to overcook or else the chicken will be dry. Once the chicken is out of the oven, let it rest for at least ten minutes before carving. The chicken will continue cooking a bit while it is resting.
Time-Saving Tip: Cut the vegetables in advance.