Inspired Edibles

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Lemon Thyme Roast Chicken

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Now that I am firmly back in a Spring state of mind, I’m ready to post this luminous lemon thyme roast chicken.
This simple idea came to me in the middle of a workout the other day – (I’m all about living in the moment, provided that moment includes food).  The sun was shining, spirits were high and visions of luscious lemon began seeping into my consciousness.
The dreamy possibilities seemed endless. 
It’s not easy being held captive.  I hope you enjoy this one.
Lemon Thyme Roast Chicken
  • 1 whole chicken
  • 1 large yellow onion, chopped
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • Juice of two lemons
  • Zest of two lemons
  • 1/2 cup fresh chopped thyme plus a few sprigs for decorating
  • Sea salt & coarse pepper
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Notes:

Roast chicken is one of the easiest and most economical meals you can make. Add in a couple of key ingredients and it may also become one of the tastiest.

Place chicken on a rack set inside the roasting pan to get it up and away from the juices on the bottom – this allows the bird to brown along the sides.

I like to start with an initial burst of heat, followed by a more moderate oven temperature. This allows the skin of the chicken to crisp up nicely and lends a delicious roasted flavour.

Oven temperatures and birds will vary but here are some general guidelines to cooking times by weight of bird.

Chicken Roasting Times:


Weight of Bird            Time
2 ½ – 3 lbs                   1 – 1 ¾ hrs
3 ½ – 4 lbs                   1 ½ – 1 ¾ hrs
4 ½ – 5 lbs                   1 ½ – 2 hrs
5 – 6 lbs                       1 ¾ – 2 ½ hrs
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Heat oven to 450 F  
In a small bowl, mix chopped onion, a 1/4 cup chopped thyme and pinch of sea salt and black pepper together.
Place onion mixture in cavity of bird.
Drizzle or brush olive oil over bird, using your fingers to spread the oil and massage it into the skin.
Sprinkle the bird with some sea salt and pepper and top with a couple sprigs of thyme.

Place chicken in oven for 20 minutes. 

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine lemon juice, lemon zest and remaining chopped thyme.

Remove chicken from oven, reduce heat to 375 F and cover chicken with lemon mixture
Return bird to oven to roast in accordance with size/time guidelines set out above. Check on chicken periodically to ensure that it is not over-crisping. If you find that the skin is getting too dark or crisp, loosely tent foil over the chicken.

Allow chicken to settle for 10 to 15 minutes out of oven before carving. Serve with remaining fresh thyme and warmed reserved marinade as desired.


Roasted Coconut Curry Chicken with Ginger Lime and Cilantro

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I realize that I’m going out on a limb here messing with tradition, but just in case anyone is looking for an alternative to turkey this holiday season (or any other time of year), this Thai inspired chicken may be worth considering.

It feels a bit odd talking about the holidays when it’s sunny and 17 degrees in the nation’s capital (that’s 63 F for my American friends). Yay November.

This a fragrant and delicious meal that is, conveniently enough, fantastically easy to put together.

Whole chicken is also one of the most economical meals you can make and, if you prepare it on a Sunday, you will have some delicious leftovers for work or school the next day.

Roasted Coconut Curry Chicken with Ginger Lime and Cilantro
·         1 whole chicken
·         1 yellow onion, peeled and chopped
·         2 cups coconut milk
·         3 tsp curry powder
·         2 Tbsp brown sugar
·         1 cup cilantro, chopped
·         1 heaping Tbsp fresh grated ginger
·         2 Tbsp lime juice
·         Sea Salt
·         Cracked pepper
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Notes:

 

I recommend roasting your bird on a rack set inside your roasting pan to get it up and away from the juices on the bottom – this will allow the bird to brown along the sides.

I like to start with an initial burst of heat, followed by a more moderate temperature.  This allows the skin of the chicken to crisp up nicely and lends a delicious roasted flavour. 

 

Oven temperatures and birds will vary but here are some general guidelines to cooking times by weight of bird.

Chicken Roasting Times:

Weight of Bird            Time

2 ½  – 3 lbs                  1 – 1 ¾  hrs
3 ½ – 4 lbs                   1 ½ – 1 ¾ hrs
4 ½ – 5 lbs                   1 ½ – 2 hrs
5 – 6 lbs                       1 ¾ – 2 ½ hrs

——-

Heat oven to 450 F

There’s plenty of wholesome fat in coconut milk so I don’t rub the exterior of the bird with butter.

Place chopped onion in the cavity of the chicken and set it onto the cooking rack set inside roasting pan.

Combine: coconut milk, curry powder, 1 Tbsp brown sugar, 1/2 cup chopped cilantro, ginger and lime juice in a bowl, whisking to combine.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

 

Reserve 1 cup of marinade in a separate dish and place in fridge.

Pour 3/4 of the remaining marinade mixture (‘active’ marinade) over chicken and place in oven for 20 minutes.

Remove chicken from oven, reduce heat to 375 F and, using a brush, glaze chicken with remaining 1/4 cup of the active marinade and return to oven.

Allow chicken to roast in accordance with size/time guidelines set out above.  Check on chicken periodically to ensure that it is not drying out.  You can spoon juices that accumulate at the bottom of the pan over chicken or use some of the reserved marinade from fridge.  If you find that the skin is getting too dark or crisp, loosely tent foil over the chicken.

In the last 20 minutes of roasting, remove chicken from oven and sprinkle skin with 1 Tbsp or so of brown sugar.  Return chicken to oven for remaining time.

Meanwhile, heat reserved marinade from fridge in a small pot on stove.  This will be used to spoon over chicken (particularly nice for the white meat which tends to be dryer) or on the side of chicken, as desired, when serving.

Allow chicken to settle for 10 to 15 minutes out of oven before carving.  Serve with remaining fresh cilantro and warmed reserved marinade as desired.

Enjoy.

Orange Sesame Ginger Chicken

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I don’t know about you, but I’m always on the lookout for low maintenance, can’t go wrong meals, particularly when we have guests over (that almost makes us sound social). 
I’m quite happy to engage in trial and error when it’s just me and the plants but less inclined to do so in the company of others.  I’m also reluctant to spend the evening poring over the stove when friends are near. 
This meal can be assembled ahead of time, requires almost no tending and is rather succulent, if I do say so myself.
You can certainly make the recipe with skin-on chicken and get spectacular results (the trick is to try and get good results without the skin!)

My husband declared this meal to be ‘delightful’ (and, as much as I have tried to cajole similar responses from him in the past – on a broad variety of topics I might add – he is not one for insincere flattery), so I take that as a good sign for this dish.  Hope you enjoy it too.
Orange Sesame Ginger Chicken
  • 24 boneless, skinless, chicken thighs

  • 1 cup pure orange marmalade, low sugar 
  • 1/2 cup orange juice (mixed/dilute not from concentrate)
  • 1 heaping Tbsp fresh grated ginger

  • 1 Tbsp sesame oil

  • 1 Tbsp soy sauce

  • 1 tsp chili garlic sauce
  • 2 Tbsp brown sugar

  • 1 large naval orange, sliced and cut in half

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Preheat oven to 350 F.

Place chicken thighs, side-by-side, in a large roasting dish.

In a small bowl, whisk together: orange marmalade, orange juice, ginger, sesame oil, soy sauce and chili garlic sauce, until well combined. 

Spread the sauce over chicken thighs and bake in oven for 30 minutes. 

Remove chicken from oven and add orange slices, mixing to combine with chicken.  Sprinkle brown sugar over thighs and return to oven for another 25 minutes or until chicken has cooked through.  For the last 5 minutes of cooking time, finish thighs under the broiler (watching carefully), to get a nice golden hue. 

Spoon some of the sauce over chicken when serving and add a slice or two of orange.
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Recipe adapted from Amy’s wonderful Apricot Chicken at Elephant Eats

Photos by Trinity Nutrition