Sunday, April 6, 2008

Roast Chicken with Potatoes, Asparagus, and Lemon

Isn't this photo beautiful? It's about time after presenting some rather visually deceptive images. I found this recipe from www.marthastewart.com, but at the moment, the recipe page is coming up blank. Fortunately, it's a popular favorite among many, so I managed to find the recipe online. From what I can recall, the recipe listed is exact to the original one I followed (more or less).

1 1/2 lb. small new potatoes, halved
3 tbsp butter
Salt and pepper to taste
1 whole cut up chicken (about 3 pounds)
1 lb asparagus
1 lemon, cut into 8 wedges
6 sprigs fresh thyme

1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees F.

2. Place potatoes and 1 1/2 tbsp butter in a large, shallow roasting pan; season with salt and pepper. Roast, tossing once, until potatoes are golden, 20-25 minutes.

3. Place chicken, skin side up, on top of potatoes, and season with salt and pepper. Roast until chicken begins to brown about 20-25 minutes.

4. Scatter asparagus, lemon, and thyme around chicken. Cut remaining 1 1/2 tbsp butter into small pieces and sprinkle on top. Roast until asparagus is tender and chicken is opaque throughout (and nicely browned), 5-15 minutes. (But I accidentally left mine in for 17 minutes. That's why it has that beautiful, crisp look. It was an advantageous accident). Serve chicken and vegetables drizzled with pan juices.

I was initially intimidated by the idea of roasting the potatoes by just dotting it with butter on top. I was concerned that the bottom would become scorched, but it was fine. I also used baby potatoes for mine. The asparagus had a nice roasty flavor to it. I included white asparagus in addition to the standard green ones. I was curious about how the white ones would taste. They're a softer, more tender flavor. They don't take as long to cook, but it can also have a crispier texture, too. But that's when it's blanched. I learned that green asparagus is most suitable for this recipe. The lemon was refreshing. I can't imagine that the thyme did much for the flavor other than aesthetics. I bought 3 lbs. worth of random chicken parts already cut up. I also began by roasting the chicken for only 20 minutes but found that another five minutes was necessary. The outside looked ready, but the inside was still pink, although still very yummy. I decided to cook it through for safety reasons, though. This is one of those favorites you'll make over and over without tiring of it. It provides not only scrumptious flavor but also visual allure, the color contrasts are striking. It's a great choice for potlucks.

No comments: