Simple Spring Chicken

Springtime reminds me of promises.

The promise of the return to green grass, baby birds in the trees, and flowers pushing their way through the hard ground.

It also reminds me of fresh herbs growing in my garden and that makes me think of chicken.  Few things on this earth smell as good as a chicken filled with aromatic herbs, garlic, and lemon roasting in the oven.  Lucky for you, I have a recipe for the best roasted chicken you will ever serve….and that, my friends, is a promise!

My secret is to use a big cast iron skillet. If you do not have one then I highly recommend that a cast iron pan is essential for any home cook. If it was good enough for Grandma then it is good enough for me. In the old days you had to lovingly season your pan to get that amazing non stick effect. Now they come pre-seasoned and all you have to do is warm it up with some oil inside and then heat high in the oven. Voila! Best pan ever! Go talk to the people at International Pantry for all the skinny on these awesome pans!

Brick Chicken

3- to 4-lb. chicken (fryer)
2-1/2 Tbs. fresh thyme leaves, roughly chopped
2 Tbs. fresh rosemary, roughly chopped
zest of 1 lemon
6 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
½ cup olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil for pan

Rinse the chicken in cold water and pat dry. Remove the backbone of chicken to create 2 large halves of chicken. Dry the chicken halves completely. Combine the thyme, rosemary, garlic, lemon zest and olive oil in a large zip-top bag or mixing bowl. DO NOT SALT CHICKEN NOW! This makes for a tough bird! Add the chicken halves. Zip and refrigerate overnight (or for at least 4 hours).

Heat the oven to 450°F. Wrap two bricks in a couple of layers of foil.

Remove the chicken from the refrigerator and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Set a large cast-iron or other heavy ovenproof pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add just enough vegetable oil to lightly film the pan. Put the chicken halves, skin side down, in the pan and immediately put a brick on top of each half. Turn the heat to medium and cook until the skin is a deep golden brown. (about 20 to 25 min) Remove the bricks, turn the chicken halves over (skin side up), and put the pan in the hot oven to finish roasting the chicken another 20 to 25 min. Once chicken is done, remove from the oven and allow chicken to rest 10 minutes before serving.

 

Garlic Roasted Fingerling Potatoes and Asparagus

2 pound fingerling potatoes, washed and cut in half
1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cleaned
8 cloves garlic, skin off
4 tablespoons olive oil
4 fresh thyme sprigs, leaves only
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
kosher salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
In a large bowl combine all the ingredients and toss. Transfer to a baking sheet and roast for 15 to 20 minutes or until nice and tender

 

I hope you and your family enjoy these recipes and the promise of a beautiful spring.