WHOLE CHICKEN ROAST

Looking for a mid – week dinner idea? Try this new recipe! It’s healthy, simple and something everyone will love plus its perfect for meal prep.

image.png
img_4012.jpg

W H A T    Y O U ‘ L L    N E E D :

  • A preheated oven at 300

  • Large Cast Iron Skillet

  • Meat Thermometer

 

  • Olive or Avocado oil

  • One whole chicken (6-8 pounds)

  • 4 tbsp room temperature grass fed butter

  • Zest of one orange + slices

  • Zest on one lemon + slices

  • Zest of one lime + slices

  • 1/2 red onion

  • Salt and pepper

  • Fresh Rosemary

  • Fresh Thyme

  • Dried Basil

  • Raw Honey

 

W H A T    T O    D O :

1.) Make sure your cast iron skillet is well seasoned. Add some extra oil (olive or avocado) to the bottom of the pan.

2.) In a small bowl, add the room temperature butter and zest the lime, lemon and orange. Whisk this together and set aside. *n o t e : If you are staying away from dairy, you can substitute it for avocado oil, olive oil or coconut oil!

3.) On a clean baking sheet, place the chicken and pat it dry with paper towels. Using your hands or a brush (whatever is easiest), coat the chicken in the butter and zest mixture, making sure to cover all parts of the chicken. Wash your hands well. Add salt pepper and dried basil to the chicken.

4.) Tie together small bundles of fresh thyme and rosemary. Add one of these to the cavity of the bird along with some of the citrus slices.

image.png

5.) Once you have filled the cavity of the bird, tie the legs together so that it stays during the baking process.

image.png

6.) Move the chicken to the cast iron skillet. Add pieces of red onion and citrus slices around the bird, filling the pan.

image.png

9.) Place the entire skillet in the preheated oven. Bake for about two hours, or until the thickest part of the bird reaches at least 165* F (using your meat thermometer).

10.) For the last 5 – 10 minutes of the baking process, turn on the broil setting of your oven. Allow the chicken to broil, creating a crispier skin on the outside of the bird.

image.png

This Recipe is perfect for a family meal, being as it’s plenty of food. Its also a great fit for meal prep. You’ll get several meals out of this one bird.

For the first meal, I served the leg and thigh pieces with garlic mashed potatoes and some roasted veggies.

image.png

*T i p : Oven roasted veggies are my go-to healthy side both for home cooked dinners and for meal prep. So simple to make and they have a delicious flavor.

Just add some cooking oil (Avocado or Olive), salt. pepper and garlic powder and roast at 400* for 30 minutes or until sightly browned. Add a squeeze of citrus juice just before serving to add another layer of flavor!

image.png

For the second meal, I separated the breasts and serves them with more of the roasted veggies as well as some roasted sweet potatoes. (Recipe for those coming to the blog soon!)

image.png

Thanks so much for reading! I hope you find this recipe inspiring for a mid week, delicious home-cooked meal or helpful for a new meal prep idea!

Don’t forget to subscribe to the blog so you never miss a healthy recipe. Also, follow along on instagram! @makayla_houseofhealth

 

xx Makayla

Emily Hess