Roasted Chicken & Caramelized Potatoes
Tuesday, 1 August 2017
Roasted Chicken & Caramelized Potatoes
Yes, you read that right - Caramelized Potatoes! If I had to eat one thing for the rest of my life, I would chose to eat these. This is, in my opinion, the best way to eat potatoes and I am so excited to share this recipe with you!
Roasted chicken is a staple in our household, and lately we have been eating it once a week! It is such a delicious, easy, option that is super filling and usually lasts for a few days. The chicken always turns out juicy, the potatoes caramelized, and flavor is well rounded and beautiful! I could eat this forever.
One of the most important requirements for this recipe is a heavy bottomed enamel pan or pot. I get the best results using my Cuisinart 6.6 L enamel coated cast iron pot. It is large enough for the whole chicken, potatoes, veg and everything else.
Directions
Preheat the oven to 425.
First, slice the baby potatoes in half and put them cut side down into the pot. The size of your pot determines the amount of potatoes that you will need. This will create a sort of 'bed' for the chicken to rest on. It is crucial to place the potatoes cut side down, as that is the part which gets caramelized. Drizzle olive oil and salt and pepper over the potatoes.
Next, peel the onion and cut it in half. Slice two rounds from center of the onion and place both of them in the middle of the pot on top of the potatoes. The chicken will sit on top of these onions and infuse it with flavour. Chop up the rest of the onion into large chunks and set aside.
Peel and slice the carrots into 2 inch chunks. If the carrots are really thick, slice those chunks length wise to allow for even cooking.
The butter mixture is the most crucial step in making a moist chicken. Take the butter and place it in a medium sized bowl. Add the lemon juice and Dijon to the butter and start to mix it all together with a spoon or fork. Add a splash of olive oil, the paprika, and the garlic powder. Continue to mix together the ingredients. Finally add the chopped rosemary and sage. If you have garlic scapes, feel free to chop them and add them to the butter mixture as well.
Now it is finally time to deal with the chicken. It is best to use a fresh chicken, but also fine to use frozen. If you are using a frozen chicken, it is extremely important to make sure that it is fully thawed - It may take up to 3 days for a chicken to fully thaw (in the fridge) from frozen. I usually take the chicken, place it in the sink and pat it dry with paper towels. After I am satisfied with its dry skin, I place it back on a paper towel lined plate and begin to stretch the skin open with my fingers. On the top of the chicken you will see the two breasts - it is this skin you want to lift and open up. It is easiest to do this from the cavity side of the bird (if this makes no sense, I am sure you can find a tutorial on youtube). Shove half of the butter mixture into the breast and spread it around. Once it is under the skin you can spread it and move it around from the outside of the skin. Once half of the butter mixture is inside the breast, take the chicken and place it in the pot on top of the potatoes and onions.
With the chicken in the pot, it is time to put a few of the onion chunks into the chickens cavity along with a dollop of the butter mixture. Then place the carrots and remaining onion chunks around the chicken. The final step is to take dollops of the remaining butter and place them among the vegetables and then spread the remaining on the top of the chicken.
Roast the chicken un-covered for 2 hours.The olive oil and butter caramelize the cut side of the potatoes, and it creates the most delicious texture. The chicken will be juicy and moist, flavorful and delicious! Let the chicken rest for 20 minutes before serving!
I hope you enjoy this delicious meal!
Thanks for reading,
Madison xx
