Growing up we would have roast chicken for dinner at least once a week. When my sister and I knew we were having it, we would whine, "chicken again?" We grew tired of it very quickly, but now roast chicken is a comfort food for me. There are many ways to make roast chicken, and this way is my mom's Greek way, simple and delicious.
Ingredients:
1 Whole Roasting Chicken (the one pictured is about 7 pounds)
10 potatoes small-medium potatoes or 6 large
5 cloves of garlic
2-3 lemons
Olive oil
Dried oregano*
Salt
Pepper
*If you can find Greek oregano buy it! It has much more flavor than regular.
10 potatoes small-medium potatoes or 6 large
5 cloves of garlic
2-3 lemons
Olive oil
Dried oregano*
Salt
Pepper
*If you can find Greek oregano buy it! It has much more flavor than regular.
Peel the potatoes. This time I used white potatoes (they are about the size of a fist) because that is what we had in the house. I usually use russet, which are bigger, so only about 6 would be needed. You can really use any kind of potato you like, Yukon Gold are really good because they have a buttery texture when cooked.
Cut them in half and then into wedges. Each potato can be cut into 4-6 pieces, just make sure they are relatively the same size, so they cook evenly.
Put them in your roasting pan.
Chop up 4 or 5 cloves of garlic.
Add it to the potatoes.
Cut your lemons in half.
And squeeze the juice over the potatoes. These lemons were really juicy so I only needed two, this time.
Drizzle in some olive oil, add salt, pepper and oregano.
Mix the potatoes so they are evenly coated with the garlic, lemon juice, olive oil and seasonings. The potatoes should be wet. If yours are dry, add some more lemon juice and/or olive oil. Move the potatoes to the sides of the pan to make room for the chicken.
Now if you don't want to have the chicken, you can add the potatoes into the oven. Spread them out evenly on the pan, add about 1/4 cup of water and cook at 375 degrees for 40 min to an hour, until tender.
Now if you don't want to have the chicken, you can add the potatoes into the oven. Spread them out evenly on the pan, add about 1/4 cup of water and cook at 375 degrees for 40 min to an hour, until tender.
Remove the giblets from the inside of the chicken and rinse it. Pat it dry with paper towels and place in the middle of the pan with the potatoes around it.
Drizzle some olive oil over the chicken.
Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and oregano. It make look like a lot but it is a big chicken and you want to make sure to season it well.
Take half of the squeezed lemon and put it inside the cavity of the chicken.
Now this step is completely optional, and if you want to do it, it is only for looks. Take the flabby part of the chicken between the breast and leg.
Cut a hole with a small knife in the flab (I should point out I don't know if flab is the correct term for this part of the chicken but just go with it).
Stick the chicken leg in the hole. Do this same on the other side. You can also use butchers twine to tie the legs together or just let them hang loose, it really doesn't matter.
Here is the chicken from the front, see the lemon in there.
If you want put in the squeezed lemons with the potatoes, the chicken is ready for the oven. Put in the oven. Cooking time will depend on how big the chicken is, your oven, etc. This one took about an hour and a half.
You will know the chicken is done when the juices run clear, no longer pink, at the thigh. Or you can use a meat thermometer and take the chicken out of the oven when it reaches 157 degrees (it will keep on cooking to 165, the temp the FDA recommends for poultry, degrees as it rests) Allow the chicken to rest for at least 20 minutes before cutting into it. See how much liquid came from the chicken? that is because this isn't an organic chicken. If you use organic add about 1/4-1/2 cup of water or chicken stock to the pan before cooking in the oven.
Carve your favorite part of the chicken and serve with a vegetable or salad if you wish. I served it with sauteed spinach.
I hope you try this one and enjoy it as much as I do!
I hope you try this one and enjoy it as much as I do!
Full directions:
Ingredients:
1 Whole Roasting Chicken
10 potatoes small-medium potatoes or 6 large
5 cloves of garlic minced
Juice of 2-3 lemons
4 tablespoons olive oil
3 teaspoons dried oregano*
3 teaspoons salt
3 teaspoons pepper
Note: Measurements for this recipe are estimates. I literally drizzling the olive oil and sprinkling the seasonings so they are seen on the potatoes and chicken.
*If you can find Greek oregano buy it! It has much more flavor than regular.
Directions:
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
Peel, wash and cut the potatoes into 6-8 wedges a potato. Make sure they are roughly the same size. Place in roasting pan.
Add the garlic, juice of the lemons, drizzle in half of the olive oil and half of each oregano, salt and pepper. Mix the potatoes so they are evenly coated, and most to the outside of the pan making room for the chicken.
Remove the giblets from the chicken, rinse and pat dry with paper towels. Place in the roasting pan.
Top the chicken with the other half of the olive oil, oregano, salt and pepper.
Insert half of a juices lemon into the cavity of the chicken, and tie the legs if desired.
Put in oven and roast until juices run clear.
Allow to rest for at least 20 minutes before carving.
1 Whole Roasting Chicken
10 potatoes small-medium potatoes or 6 large
5 cloves of garlic minced
Juice of 2-3 lemons
4 tablespoons olive oil
3 teaspoons dried oregano*
3 teaspoons salt
3 teaspoons pepper
Note: Measurements for this recipe are estimates. I literally drizzling the olive oil and sprinkling the seasonings so they are seen on the potatoes and chicken.
*If you can find Greek oregano buy it! It has much more flavor than regular.
Directions:
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
Peel, wash and cut the potatoes into 6-8 wedges a potato. Make sure they are roughly the same size. Place in roasting pan.
Add the garlic, juice of the lemons, drizzle in half of the olive oil and half of each oregano, salt and pepper. Mix the potatoes so they are evenly coated, and most to the outside of the pan making room for the chicken.
Remove the giblets from the chicken, rinse and pat dry with paper towels. Place in the roasting pan.
Top the chicken with the other half of the olive oil, oregano, salt and pepper.
Insert half of a juices lemon into the cavity of the chicken, and tie the legs if desired.
Put in oven and roast until juices run clear.
Allow to rest for at least 20 minutes before carving.