Herb-y Baked Chicken with Slow-Roasted Vegetables

… For Now and Later!

This past weekend I made an herb-y baked chicken with slow roasted Brussels Sprouts and baby fingerling potatoes. I love baking a chicken for many reasons … It’s one of the easiest dishes and requires very little actual prep time … I can get a full, delicious, and elegant looking meal from a single cast iron Dutch oven … the recipe is easily adjustable in portion size and ingredients … and I always have enough chicken remaining for quick and tasty sandwiches the next day. I love using an abundance of fresh herbs, blanketing them over the top of the chicken while it’s baking, that become crispy and fragrant and beautiful by the end.

The vegetables, and their quantities, listed in the recipe below are simply how I made this recipe – but you can use whatever vegetables suit you. Be creative with your herbs and seasonings, considering what you might want the leftover chicken to be used for (sandwiches – as I mentioned above, or shredded for tacos, or perhaps chopped for pizza). Your next dish will already have the beginnings of a delicious flavor profile. I also use a basting liquid to keep the chicken extra moist, and I vary this as well. This time I used tart cherry juice, while other times I may choose apple juice, chicken broth, even gluten-free beer – yes, it is delicious.

Remember to save the stock you’ve created. By straining the drippings and storing them in a resealable glass jar in the fridge, the fat will rise to the top, making it easy to remove and discard. Your stock will then be ready to use as a base for your next chicken dish or soup, as a great flavor enhancer for a white sauce or rue, or even when you need just a bit of liquid when sautéing vegetables. It will keep in your fridge for up to a week if well sealed. For easy 2-Tablespoon portions, pour the cooled stock into ice cube trays and freeze, then pop the cubes into a resealable plastic bag. You’ve got instant, and preservative free, stock whenever you need it. Love that!

Herb-y Baked Chicken with Slow-Roasted Vegetables

Prep time: 10-15 minutes

Baking time: 1 1/2  to 2 hours

Oven temp: 350ºF

Rest time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

4-5 lb baking chicken, pouch removed and discarded (if present), chicken rinsed and patted dry (be sure to buy chicken that is gluten-free and has not been injected with a gluten-containing liquid)

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 red or yellow onion, peeled and cut into about 6 wedges

2 cloves garlic, peeled

20 Brussels sprouts, ends trimmed and outer leaves removed

8-12 ounces fingerling potatoes, rinsed

1 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon onion powder*

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

salt and pepper, to taste

2-3 stems fresh rosemary

1/3 of one pre-bundled bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, rinsed and patted dry

1/3 of one pre-bundled bunch fresh cilantro leaves, rinsed and patted dry

1/3 cup tart cherry juice

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

Add 1Tablespoon oil to bottom of Dutch oven or heavy baking dish with lid.

Place onion wedges (reserving 2), 1 clove garlic, Brussels sprouts, and potatoes into bottom of Dutch oven. Drizzle with 1 Tablespoon oil. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper.

Place dry chicken on top of vegetables. Add 2 remaining onion wedges and 1 clove garlic inside cavity of chicken. Drizzle 1 tablespoon oil over breast and legs of chicken. Sprinkle onion and garlic powders, salt and pepper over chicken. Lay the parsley and cilantro over the chicken.

Bake chicken, covered, at 350ºF for 45 minutes.

Baste the chicken with cherry juice, re-cover, and continue baking another 45 minutes.

Check doneness of chicken by inserting a meat thermometer into meat between leg and chest of chicken, being careful the thermometer doesn’t touch the bone. When temperature reaches 155ºF, baste again.

Continue baking chicken – Uncovered now – another 15 minutes. This will allow the chicken to get a golden brown skin.

Check temperature again after 15-20 minutes. Chicken is thoroughly cooked when temperature reaches 165ºF.

Remove chicken from oven and place on a serving platter, spooning vegetables all around it. Tent loosely with foil and let rest about 15 minutes, to allow juices to redistribute and keep chicken moist.

Strain liquids/drippings from pot, while chicken is resting, and pour into a glass jar. Allow to cool – Uncovered – on the countertop for an hour or so. Seal with lid, then store in fridge as mentioned above.

Store any remaining chicken and veggies in an airtight container or resealable plastic bag. Refrigerate for up to 4 days.

*McCormick Spices are gluten-free

Safe food is a journey … Thrive!™

Other recipes in which you might enjoy using Herb-y Baked Chicken:

Chicken Caramelized Onion Roasted Potato Pizza

Cinco de Mayo Tacos

Layered Enchilada Casserole