Citrus and Herb Roast Chicken

 

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This was so amazing! Perfectly seasoned and juicy – and not at all coconutty! I will make this again and again – even my daughter who practically drinks ketchup, said it was good without it! That’s a win in my book. I served this with steamed carrots and green beans, seasoned with salt, pepper and my fave Kerrygold butter. Thanks for reading, enjoy!

Citrus and Herb Roasted Chicken – adapted from Practical Paleo

  • 1 – 3 to 4 pound whole chicken, rinsed and dried
  • 1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
  • Zest of one orange
  • Half that orange, sliced into fourths
  • One small onion, quartered
  • 4-6 cloves garlic, smashed
  • 2 tsp kosher salt
  • 2 tbsp coconut oil, melted (*or butter or bacon grease*)
  • Fresh cracked pepper
  • Kitchen string for trussing
  • Half sheet pan
  • Foil

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Remove and gizzards or organs from inside the chicken. Stuff the chicken with the onions, garlic, and the citrus, truss the chicken if desired. Brush the chicken with melted coconut oil, and sprinkle it with the chopped rosemary, kosher salt, orange zest, and black pepper, and roast about 55-65 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 160-165 degrees. Cooking time depends on the size of the bird but is approximately 20 minutes per pound.

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Rosemary Olive Oil Potato Bread

Quick Post: This experiment was inspired my husband who told me he likes potato bread. I haven’t bought it in years, but I decided to search for potato bread recipes. I always like to try new breads and this one seemed easy enough. I like the addition of rosemary, and thought this would be a great bread to go with steak or chicken. These kind of loaves are great because they have that “wow” factor. It looks and sounds fancy, but it isn’t at all difficult to make. The texture is soft, with a dense crumb and a chewy crust – perfect for sopping up juices on your plate or bowl of soup. Thanks for reading, enjoy!
Rosemary Olive Oil Potato Bread – adapted from What Megan’s Making
  • 1 cup cold, roasted mashed up potatoes, skins removed (*Can also use mashed potato flakes to make 1 cup of mashed potatoes)
  • 4 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 envelope (1/4 oz) active dry yeast
  • 1 cup warm water
  • 3 cups white flour
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped

Directions:

In a small bowl mix together the mashed potatoes and olive oil. Set aside.

In a large bowl, mix the warm water with the yeast and let sit for 5 minutes, or until bubbly. Add the flour, whole wheat flour, salt, rosemary, and potato/oil mixture and mix together. Add more water or flour as needed to form a soft dough. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for 8-10 minutes, or until smooth and elastic. Clean out the mixing bowl and lightly spray with cooking spray. Place dough in the bowl and cover with a dishtowel. Let rise 1 hour, or until doubled in size.

Turn risen dough out onto a floured surface and knead a few times. Flatten the dough with your hands and fold up like business letter. (You could also separate the dough into two smaller loaves at this point.)Turn it seam side down, form into a plump oval shape, and place on a lined baking sheet. Sprinkle the top with flour, cover with a towel and let rise for 30 minutes, or until doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to 400. Using a sharp knife make 3-4 diagonal slits in the bread to make a criss-cross pattern. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown and the loaf sounds hollow when you tap on it. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Let cool completely before slicing.

Rosemary and Thyme Roast Chicken

Quick Post: Is there anything more comforting than roasted chicken? The smell and flavor were amazing! I am really happy with how this turned out and I will make this again and again. After pulling the chicken of the bones, I placed the carcass in the freezer for more chicken stock later on – it’s liquid gold and worth making! Thanks for reading, enjoy!

Rosemary and Thyme Roast Chicken –

  • 1 – 4 pound chicken, rinsed and patted dry
  • 3 sprigs of rosemary
  • 6 sprigs of thyme
  • 1 garlic bulb, cut in half
  • half a small onion cut into four pieces
  • half a lemon, rolled and pierced with a knife
  • kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper
  • grapeseed oil
  • kitchen string for trussing
  • digital  probe thermometer – it’s been a worthy investment and I highly recommend one
Directions:
1. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and cut a piece of kitchen string (*it’s better a little long than too short).
2. Salt the cavity of the chicken and stuff with the onion, lemon, garlic and herbs – don’t be afraid to really pack these in there. Truss the chicken tightly. Drizzle grapeseed oil over the chicken and generously season the skin with kosher salt and pepper. Place a probe thermometer in the breast of the chicken, being careful not to hit bone.
3. Roast until the thermometer reads 160 degrees – mine took about 55 minutes on my convection roast setting. Take out of the oven and leave the probe in for at least ten minutes (*if you take it out sooner, the juices will flow from the hole the probe made*)


Brined Herb-Crusted Turkey with Apple Cider Gravy

Wow – this turkey was completely worth all the extra work it required. I have never had a more moist and flavorful turkey – we didn’t even need to drown it in the gravy! Speaking of the gravy – wow, what a great addition to such a tasty bird. Instead of using the leftover cup of apple cider, I used all chicken stock for the gravy. I think the apple essence was just right and not at all weird. Also, the cinnamon was a subtle addition and did blend well with all the other flavors. I was a little worried about the herb butter because I didn’t want the rosemary and sage combination to over power the meal – it didn’t. I am so happy with how it all turned out! This will most likely be my go to recipe for Thanksgiving turkey and it was the best that any of us had ever tasted. Thanks for reading, enjoy!

Brined Herb-Crusted Turkey with Apple Cider Gravy –

Brine –

  • 7 quarts water
  • 1 quart apple cider
  • 3/4 cup kosher salt
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 1 large or 2 small carrots, diced
  • 3 ribs celery, diced
  • 1 head garlic, cut in 1/2 equatorially
  • 1/2 bunch fresh rosemary
  • 1/2 bunch fresh sage
  • 6 bay leaves
  • 1 (12 to 14 pound) turkey

Herb Crust –

  • 1 bunch fresh rosemary, leaves finely chopped
  • 1 bunch fresh sage, leaves finely chopped
  • 3 sticks butter, room temperature
  • Kosher salt

Gravy –

  • 1 large onion, cut into 1/2-inch dice
  • 1 large or 2 small carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
  • 2 ribs celery, cut into 1/2-inch dice
  • 4 cloves garlic, smashed
  • 2 Granny Smith apples, cut into 1/2-inch dice
  • 5 bay leaves
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1 bunch thyme
  • Kosher salt
  • 1 quart chicken stock, divided
  • 2 cups apple cider, divided
  • 1/2 to 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

Special equipment: butcher’s twine

To brine the turkey: Combine all of the ingredients for the brine in a large container. Add the turkey and let it brine in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days.

To prepare the turkey for cooking: Remove the turkey from the brine the night before roasting and pat it thoroughly dry with paper towels. Combine the rosemary, sage, and butter for the herb crust in a small bowl. Season, to taste, with kosher salt. Work the butter under the skin of the turkey and massage it into the breasts and the legs. Massage the bitter on the outside of the skin as well. Tie the legs together over the breast so they will protect it during cooking and help keep it moist and juicy.

Gravy preparation: Put the onions, carrots, celery, garlic, apples, bay leaves, cinnamon stick and thyme in a roasting pan and season with salt. Arrange the turkey on top of the veggies and refrigerate overnight UNCOVERED! Yes, that’s right, uncovered. This will help the skin dry out and become really brown and crispy. Make sure that there is no raw food near the turkey in the refrigerator. After refrigerating overnight, the turkey is ready to go in the oven.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Put 2 cups chicken stock and 1 cup apple cider in the bottom of the roasting pan. Roast the turkey in the preheated oven until the skin gets really nice and brown, about 40 minutes. Lower the oven heat to 350 degrees F for the remainder of the cooking time. Baste the turkey every 30 minutes or so and add more stock to the roasting pan, if needed. Cook about 17 minutes per pound. Once it gets to the proper color, tent the turkey with aluminum foil to prevent it from getting too dark.

Remove the turkey from the oven when an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the turkey registers 160 degrees F. Make sure that the thermometer is not touching a bone when doing the reading. When the turkey has reached the proper temperature, remove it from the roasting pan to a cutting board and let it rest for at least 30 minutes. Cover loosely with aluminum foil.

Strain all the veggies over a bowl to separate them from the stock/mixture. Discard the veggies. Skim off the fat and add it to the roasting pan. This is the fat for the roux. Put the roasting pan over 2 burners and over a low heat and whisk in the flour. Cook until the mixture looks like wet sand, about 4 to 5 minutes. Slowly whisk in the remaining 1 cup apple cider, remaining chicken stock and the stock/cider mixture. Cook until the mixture has thickened and reached a gravy consistency. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Pour into a serving pitcher or bowl.

Carve the turkey, transfer to a serving platter and serve with the gravy.

Cook’s Note: Don’t fight over the drumsticks.

Give thanks for such a great turkey!!!