When considering what to cook for dinner tonight, it’s easy to roast a chicken and there are so many ways to serve it.
Michael loves mashed potatoes and gravy, but I often prefer a lighter preparation…ESPECIALLY when my chicken comes without giblets, which I hate! If it doesn’t say so on the package, I feel ripped of when there aren’t any giblets because if I wanted to make gravy, it’s more challenging. And because I buy organic chicken, I expect to find an organic chicken liver in there. I put that in the freezer if I don’t use it immediately. That’s a little umami gem for my flavor treasure chest. Yes, I am absolutely serious. It’s one of those things where using a little bit goes a long way in adding a subtle savory component in the background of a finished dish.
Preparing the Chicken
My friend, Debra, used to marinate chicken pieces in soy sauce, garlic and lemon juice before barbecuing. I always loved that combination and it’s another idea on what to cook for dinner tonight that’s easy. I decided make a sauce with those ingredients instead.
First I stuffed the cavity with quartered onions and half a lemon. Then I put some whole peeled cloves of garlic under the skin of the breast and seasoned with salt. You could butter the skin if you wanted to serve it crispy, but I didn’t because I didn’t intend on serving it with the skin. For a 5 pound bird, 2 hours at 350 typically works in my oven. Because I stuffed the cavity in this case, I cooked it an additional 15 minutes.
About half an hour before the chicken was to be done, I tossed some carrots and cauliflower florets into the roasting pan to cook with the pan drippings.
While letting the chicken rest before carving, I began a quick sauce by sautéing minced garlic in olive oil. Whisked in some soy sauce and lemon juice just before serving because I didn’t wish to thicken it. You can cook the sauce down to reduce, but be advised that anything with soy get syrupy fast, so watch it and take it off the heat before it turns into goo. Cooking without a recipe requires paying attention.
To my surprise and delight, Michael raved about this preparation and even suggested that he would enjoy the sauce as a gravy on mashed potatoes. What??? It would absolutely never have occurred to me to serve it that way…but I’m game to try it if he thinks he would like it!
Leftovers can be repurposed in a variety of ways. The next day I decided to put them into a delicious salad along with dandelion greens, cucumber and avocado.
For an all time favorite chicken dish that never fails to please, please read Jump For Joy next.
That sauce! How creative! Yummy…..