Hump Day is here! That means you're halfway to the weekend! Let me help keep you on that nutrition train with another super tasty dinner recipe!
I have been obsessed with my cast iron skillets since I got them for my birthday back in January. I feel like cast iron just makes everything taste better. Sure, sure, they're a pain in the ass to clean, but it's worth it, I promise! This is coming from the girl that DREADS the cleaning part of cooking. It's #worthit.
I order the custom box from Butcher Box so that I can switch it up each month and try out new recipes! This month I ordered an organic whole chicken. The chicken I used in this particular meal was just under four pounds. I also used red potatoes, red onion, and rainbow carrots. You can totally play around with these add-ins. For example, I switch up the types of potatoes and onions I use each time. You can try sweet yellow onions, sweet potatoes, fingerling potatoes, etc. I switch up my veggies now and then as well. Regular orange carrots, zucchini and squash, and/or celery are all great options.
My trick to getting an incredibly juicy chicken is to slice up a stick of butter (I use Kerrygold), and put the squares underneath the skin (see the photo above). If you're not into butter, you can rub olive or avocado oil under the skin instead to produce the same effect. After that, use a TON of spices. I cover my chicken and my veggies with them. It just gives everything a ton of flavor, and it also makes your house smell incredible while the chicken is cooking.
The best part of this meal is that you only need one pan to cook everything in! Yep, your entire meal is right there in that skillet. If you haven't entered the wonderful world of cooking with cast iron yet, have no fear! You can still accomplish this in any solid cooking pan you own that will fit a whole chicken and a bunch of veggies. Back in college, I used a brownie pan. It still works. Anyways, get to cooking!
Baked Garlic Herb Whole Chicken With Veggies
Ingredients:
Whole Chicken (3-5 pounds)
1/2 stick of grass-fed butter (sliced into thin squares)
1 pound rainbow carrots (sliced into halves or quarters)
1/2 large red onion (sliced)
1 pound red potatoes (halved or quartered)
Sea salt
Thyme
Garlic Powder
Rosemary
Onion Powder
Parsley
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325°.
2. Place chicken in the center of the pan. Place butter slices throughout the chicken under the skin.
3. Add chopped veggies to the pan around the chicken.
4. Season the chicken and veggies generously with each spice.
5. Bake, uncovered, in the oven for about 2 hours or about 30 minutes per pound. Check to make sure that the temperature in the center of the chicken reaches 165°.
That's it! Super simple! You do not need to add any broth or liquid to the pan before cooking, because the drippings from the chicken will produce all the moisture you need for baking the veggies.
Another great thing about this meal is that the leftover chicken can be used in a ton of ways! You can shred the meat and add it to salads throughout the week, make chicken salad using some avocado oil mayo, celery, and onions, or add the leftovers to some broth and make a chicken soup! It's so versatile. I hope you guys love this recipe as much as I do! Let me know if you give it a try!