This recipe is a simple and delicious way to roast/bake a chicken with lemon, thyme and garlic cloves.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
1 Cleaned and prepped roasting chicken (roughly 4 – 5 lbs)
4-6 garlic cloves
4 Thyme sprigs
2 Lemons, halved
1 Pinch of salt
1 Pinch of pepper
1/4 Tbsp of Italian seasoning
Place chicken in a roasting pan and ensure the cavity is emptied of the neck and other chicken parts. Add the garlic, lemon and thyme in sets of 2 and try to ensure a even distribution so the flavors work evenly in the roasting process.
Sprinkle salt, pepper and Italian seasoning evenly over the top of the chicken. Place the chicken in the oven and bake at 400 for 60 – 70 minutes. Remove chicken and let rest for 10 minutes prior to carving.
1 Package of 2 split breasts of chicken (though you can use your preferred type of chicken meat)
2 28oz cans of crushed tomatoes
1 Small can tomato paste
1 Tbsp of butter
1/2 Yellow onion
4 Cloves of garlic
1/2 Tbsp of oregano
1/2 Tbsp of basil
1 Tbsp grated Parmesan and Romano cheese
Pinch of red pepper flakes
Pan-brown chicken with garlic and onions for about 5-7 minutes flipping midway through. Add tomatoes and bring to a boil; once boiling lower heat and cover to simmer for one hour. After an hour remove chicken and separate meat from bone and skin. Discard bone and skin and add pulled chicken back to sauce; also add oregano, basil, cheese and red pepper flakes and stir. Simmer the sauce for another 30-45 minutes.
For pasta, fill a large pot 3/4 full with water and add a pinch of salt and a 1/2 tsp of olive oil cover and bring to a boil. When the water reaches a rolling boil, add pasta of your choice and lower heat. Stir frequently to prevent the pasta from sticking. Cook time will vary on the type of pasta, so be sure to read the directions on the pasta packaging.
Saute Onions and Garlic
Brown Chicken
Chicken Cooking in Sauce
Add Chicken Back to Sauce after Deboning and Shredding
Similar to many of our recipes, the portions and ingredients below are based on serving two (2) people. You can always increase the quantity of the ingredient list if you need to serve more.
2 Bone-in chicken breasts or 4 chicken thighs (boneless works if you prefer, though be sure to adjust cook-time down accordingly)
3 Blood oranges
1 Lemon
2 Sprigs of rosemary
3 Garlic cloves
1/4 Tsp Salt
1/4 Tsp Fresh ground pepper
3 Tbsp olive oil
Skin the breasts and slice the top of the breast cross-way slightly to increase exposure to the marinade. Place the chicken in resealable bag or container and wash the cutting board and knife.
In a separate bowl squeeze the juice of the blood oranges and the lemon. Crush the garlic and add to the bowl as well as the salt and pepper. Now carefully remove the rosemary leaves from the stem and coarsely chop by rocking the blade of your knife through the pile several times (mincing); Add rosemary to the juice and pour olive oil in. Use a whisk to stir the marinade and pour over the chicken; cover and store in the refrigerator for several hours (if possible) periodically shake the container to move the marinade evenly around the meat.
Prepare the coals or light the gas grill to a medium-high temperature. Once the grill is ready, place the meat on the grill with the bones down and the thicker portion of the breast positioned toward the center of the grill/hotter temperature; be sure to replace the grill lid to maintain control over the temperature. Grill chicken for 10 – 11 minutes a side; when you flip the chicken, keep the thicker portion of the breast towards the center of the grill/hotter temperature. Remove the chicken and let the meat rest for at least 5 minutes before serving. Cut into one piece to make sure it is cooked through; the meat should be slightly pink so if you have any doubt place the meat back on the grill for a minute or two.
Grilled chicken is not the easiest to cook, so if you don’t have much experience keep at it and you will soon have a good feel for judging time and temperature.
