MONDAY RECIPE POST - ROSEMARY, SAGE AND THYME SCENTED CHICKEN

Rosemary, Sage and Thyme Scented Chicken

An old recipe I made for the first time several years ago when hubs was getting back from a business trip to Kansas City one afternoon.  I wanted to have a wonderful aroma to greet him when he walked in the door and I decided on this recipe. Another I am not sure where it came from. I wasn’t very organized back then. I go surfing a lot on the Internet when I am looking for new ideas, and I came across this recipe in my collection again recently. The chicken overwhelmed the platter but it was the smallest chicken I could find on my last shopping trip, and I didn't have the time to look elsewhere. It took a little longer to cook but everything came out really well.  We had lots of leftovers which I love for extra, no-fuss meals. 

Rosemary, Sage and Thyme Scented Chicken

Preparation time 15 minutes 

Roasting Time 1-1/4 hours 

Makes 4 servings

Calories: 357 calories in 1 portion

2 oranges

3 to 4 lb (1.5 to 2 kg) whole roasting chicken

1 tsp (5 mL) butter

1 tsp (5 mL) each dried thyme leaves and sage leaves

1 tsp (5 mL) salt

3 medium-size potatoes, preferably Yukon Gold

2 red onions

1 lb (500 g) pkg peeled butternut squash pieces

1 tbsp (15 mL) olive oil

1-1/2 tsp (7 mL) dried rosemary leaves

Preheat oven to 400F (200C). 

Slice oranges in half. Squeeze out about 1 cup (250 mL) juice. Don't discard orange peels. 

Rinse chicken. Pat dry with paper towels. Place in a roasting pan wide enough to hold chicken and vegetables around it. 

Stuff orange peels into cavity of chicken. 

Rub butter all over chicken, then sprinkle with thyme, sage and 1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt. 

Roast, breast side up, in centre of preheated oven 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, cut unpeeled potatoes into quarters. 

Slice each onion into 6 wedges. 

Cut squash into bite-size chunks. 

Place potatoes, onions and squash in a large bowl. Add juice and oil. Sprinkle with rosemary and remaining 1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt. Stir until evenly coated.

Once chicken has roasted 30 minutes, remove from oven. Baste with any pan juices. 

Tumble vegetables and marinade into pan around chicken and spread out. 

Return to oven. Roast, uncovered, until a meat thermometer inserted into thigh reads 170F (77C), 45 minutes to 1 hour. 

Stir vegetables halfway through cooking. 

If chicken skin browns too quickly, loosely cover chicken with foil. 

If pan juices start to burn, add a little water. 

After removing pan from oven, let stand 10 minutes before slicing chicken and serving with vegetables and pan juices.

Thank you for looking and have a great week.