Perfect Roast Chicken

Ingredients

1 (5 to 6 pound) roasting chicken
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 large bunch fresh thyme, plus 20 sprigs
1 lemon, halved
1 head garlic, cut in half crosswise
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter, melted
1 large yellow onion, thickly sliced
4 carrots cut into 2-inch chunks
1 bulb of fennel, tops removed, and cut into wedges
Olive oil

Total Time

2 hr 10 min
Prep:
20 min
Inactive:
20 min
Cook:
1 hr 30 min

Directions

Watch how to make this recipe.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Remove the chicken giblets. Rinse the chicken inside and out. Remove any excess fat and leftover pin feathers and pat the outside dry. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the chicken. Stuff the cavity with the bunch of thyme, both halves of lemon, and all the garlic. Brush the outside of the chicken with the butter and sprinkle again with salt and pepper. Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken. Place the onions, carrots, and fennel in a roasting pan. Toss with salt, pepper, 20 sprigs of thyme, and olive oil. Spread around the bottom of the roasting pan and place the chicken on top.
Roast the chicken for 1 1/2 hours, or until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh. Remove the chicken and vegetables to a platter and cover with aluminum foil for about 20 minutes. Slice the chicken onto a platter and serve it with the vegetables.

Chicken Saltimbocca

Ingredients

1/3 Cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
8 thin-cut, boneless, skinless chicken breast cutlets (about 2 pounds), trimmed of ragged edges as necessary
1 tablespoon minced fresh sage leaves , 
8 thin slices prosciutto , cut into 5- to 6-inch-long pieces to match chicken (about 3 ounces)
4 tablespoons olive oil
11/4 cups dry vermouth or white wine
2 teaspoons juice from 1 lemon
4 tablespoons unsalted butter , cut into 4 pieces and chilled
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley leaves
1 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 200 degrees. Combine flour and 1 teaspoon pepper in shallow dish.

2. Pat cutlets dry with paper towels. Dredge chicken in flour, shaking off any excess. Lay cutlets flat and sprinkle evenly with minced sage. Place 1 prosciutto slice on top of each cutlet, pressing lightly to adhere; set aside.

3. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of cutlets to pan, prosciutto-side down, and cook until light golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip and cook on other side until light golden brown, about 2 minutes more. Transfer to baking sheet and keep warm in oven. Repeat with remaining 2 tablespoons oil and cutlets, then transfer to oven to keep warm while preparing sauce.

4. Pour off excess fat from skillet. Stir in vermouth, scraping up any browned bits, and simmer until reduced to about 1/3 cup, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in lemon juice. Turn heat to low and whisk in butter, 1 tablespoon at a time. Off heat, stir in parsley and season with salt and pepper. Remove chicken from oven and place on platter. Spoon sauce over cutlets before serving.

Quick Chicken Fajita

INGREDIENTS

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, sliced
1 clove fresh garlic minced or crushed
1 red or yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1 pinch cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
1/2 cup canned chicken broth
4 boneless chicken breast halves, skinned, cut into strips
Warm flour tortillas
1 avocado, peeled, chopped
1 cup purchased salsa

Instructions

With a large frypan or Dutch oven, place oil over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, mustard seeds and anise seed; cook, stirring, about 2 minutes or until onion is translucent. Add chicken and cook, turning, about 10 minutes or until chicken has started to brown. Add beans, chipotle peppers, molasses, orange juice concentrate and tomatoes; continue cooking about 10 minutes until mixture is slightly thickened. In small frypan, place butter over medium heat. Add crushed taco shells and sauté until brown. Stir in Parmesan cheese and continue to cook, stirring, about 5 minutes more. Divide chicken mixture evenly in individual serving bowls and top with taco crumbs. Place 1 teaspoon sour cream in center of each and arrange peppers in pinwheel around sour cream. Sprinkle with paprika.

Southern Fried Chicken

Ingredients

1 3- 4 lb. whole chicken, cut in 8 pieces
1 1/2 tbsp. salt
2 tsp. black pepper
1 egg (beaten)
1cup milk
1 dash hot sauce
2 cups flour
1 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. ground thyme
1/2 tsp. granulated garlic
1 qt. oil for frying

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees
Season chicken pieces well with salt and pepper. Mix egg, milk and hot sauce. Pour mixture over chicken. Let sit for 15-30 minutes or as long as overnight.

In a heavy paper or plastic bag, mix flour, paprika, ground thyme, and granulated garlic. Place chicken in bag with flour mixture. Shake until chicken is well coated, you may need to do in two batches.

Heat oil in a heavy frying pan or cast iron. Oil should reach 350F. Place 3 pieces of chicken at a time in hot oil. Fry, turning as chicken browns. Heavy parts such as breast, thighs, and legs will take 15 to 20 minutes, wings about 10 to 15 minutes. Drain chicken on paper towels.

Chicken with Bell Peppers, Smoked Ham, and Paprika

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3- to 3 1/2- pound chicken
• 2 large red bell peppers, cut into strips (about 4 cups)
• 2 medium onions, halved, cut lengthwise into strips (about 3 cups)
• 2 cups diced smoked ham steak (such as Nueske's; about 11 ounces)
• 1 teaspoon Pimentón de La Vera (Spanish smoked paprika) or hot paprika
• 1 1/2 cups low-salt chicken broth
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley

Preparation

Heat oil in heavy wide pot over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper; add to pot. Cook until browned, about 6 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to bowl. Increase heat to high. Add next 3 ingredients and 1/2 teaspoon paprika to drippings in pot; sauté until vegetables are soft and light brown, about 8 minutes. Return chicken to pot; add broth. Sprinkle chicken with remaining 1/2 teaspoon paprika. Bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 10 minutes. Uncover; simmer until chicken is tender, about 10 minutes longer. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle parsley over; serve.