The “you get it right every time” Roasted Chicken Dinner
The Perfect Meal for Every Occasion.
The first meal I decided to conquer when I began cooking dinners for my family was a roasted chicken. Living with two picky younger brothers, I knew finding a meal everyone in my family enjoyed would be a challenge. However, my roasted chicken dinner has become a staple in my house that everyone enjoys. I have changed my recipe over-time having been inspired through my travels and trying different approaches.
This past February, right before quarantine, I traveled to Milan and Florence with my family. My Dad has always raved about a restaurant in Florence that made “THE BEST ROASTED CHICKEN EVER.” Trattoria Sostanza lived up to the hype. The Pollo al Mattone, or “chicken under a brick” was incredible. So, when we had to quarantine following our trip, I decided to attempt to recreate the roasted chicken. It may not be the healthiest, but it sure is delicious.
I usually don’t believe in following recipes to a T. I believe that you should adapt recipes to what you have available to you at the time. But, with this recipe, I do strongly encourage using a cast iron skillet. It truly makes such a difference in the outcome of the meal. Furthermore, with a dish like a roasted chicken, it is important to use the best quality ingredients you can find. Thus, it’s important to use quality butter and herbs. Other than that, I encourage you to use whatever you have on hand. You shouldn’t have to go to the ends of the earth to find the best chicken or the most expensive cast iron skillet.
Since this post is a “Roasted Chicken Dinner,” I will also be sharing the recipes for what I like to serve alongside the roasted chicken. I have featured my delicious roasted sweet potato recipe. I have also featured two other staple sides in my house, our simple arugula salad and my favorite green bean recipe.
The Roasted Chicken:
1 Spatchcock Chicken
1 Shallot finely diced
1 handful of parsley (just eyeball the amount) finely chopped
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup dry white wine
3 tbsp butter
1 lemon zest half of lemon and juice the whole lemon
salt and pepper
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Take the chicken out of the fridge and let sit 1 hour and up to 2 hours before you want to roast it to let it come to room temperature. When you are ready to roast, pat the chicken skin with a paper towel until it is dry. Salt and pepper the chicken generously; it’s best to eye ball it. pour 1 tbsp of EVOO in the cast iron skillet and white with a paper towel to spread the olive oil around the pan. Leave just enough EVOO for the chicken not to stick, but not too much where it makes the chicken soggy. Place the chicken skin side down in the skillet. Take something heavy that is oven-safe and wrap tinfoil around the bottom of it. Place the tinfoil side down on the chicken. If you have a second cast iron skillet use that, if not take a sheet pan and place a pot filled with water on top. Place in oven. The chicken is done cooking when the skin is golden brown and crispy and the thickest part of the breast is approx. 160 degrees. Take chicken out of oven, place chicken on a serving dish. Heat the skillet that the chicken was in to low heat. Add the butter, the remaining 2 tbsp of EVOO, the lemon juice and zest, and shallot to the pan. Allow the shallot to become translucent in color and emulsify with the butter and EVOO. Add the white wine and with a spatula, scrape the bottom of the pan to create a pan sauce. Let it cook down for 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper. Finally, add half of the parsley and transfer the sauce to a serving bowl. I don’t recommend pouring the sauce on top of the chicken because you want to keep the chicken’s skin crispy. Top the remaining parsley over the chicken if desired.
The Super Simple Arugula Salad:
Salad:
1 package of arugula (appox. 5 cups)
1/2 cup parmesan grated with a miroplane
The dressing:
2 lemons juiced
3 tbsp Extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and Pepper
Directions:
Add arugula in serving bowl. Mix together the lemon juice and EVOO. Season with salt and pepper. Mix dressing in with arugula. Top with parmesan.
The “it pairs with everything” Green Beans":
1 package of green beans (I use one that has been pre washed and the ends are cut)
2 Shallots finely diced
EVOO
Salt and pepper
Directions:
Put pan over a low heat. Pour a few tbsp’s of EVOO in pan. Pour in diced shallots. Allow for them to become translucent. Add green beans and sauté. Pour in a few tbsp’s of water and cover the pan for two minutes to let the green beans steam and the water to evaporate. Once water has evaporated, season with salt and pepper.
Roasted Sweet Potatoes
5 sweet potatoes cut into quarters
1/4 cup agave
1 lime juiced
salt and pepper
EVOO
Directions:
Set oven to 350 degrees. Place sweet potatoes on tin foil lined sheet pan that has been oiled. With a brush or a spoon, top sweet potatoes with agave. Drizzle lime juice on top. Season with salt and pepper. Place in oven until the sweet potatoes are soft and golden; about 30 mins. Place in serving bowl. Optional: top sweet potatoes with a little more agave to serve.
