Chicken 3 Ways

With fall finally here, I felt the urge to roast a chicken. So when Kelly was visiting, Scott and I made a fall roasted dinner:
Rosemary and lemon roasted Rocky Jr. chicken
Herb roasted veggies
Roasted red potatoes

Rocky Jr. chicken is sustainable poultry from a farm in Petaluma. It costs a bit more than Foster Farms, but it is worth it in taste alone (I and would much rather give my money to a sustainable farm than a huge corporate chicken farm!) Roasted chicken is such a simple dinner, but it is also one of the most homey-heartwarming meals...you have to love it!

Scott prepped the chicken while I prepped the veggies and potatoes. I cut carrots, celery, leeks, and potatoes in big chunks and mixed them with olive oil, salt, pepper, and chopped rosemary, thyme, and parsley. The veggies & potatoes in the roasting pan

Scott rubbed the chicken with olive oil and threw a few rosemary sprigs, lemon slices, and garlic cloves in the cavity. He also put some lemon wedges and chopped herbs under the skin. He seasoned the whole bird with salt and pepper, and placed in directly on top of the veggies in the baking dish. Then you bake for about 1- 1 1/2 hours at 350 degrees. According to Julia Child, you know a roast chicken is done by piercing the breast with a carving fork and pressing to bring up juices, they should be clear. Also pierce the skin under the thigh, where the juice should be clear yellow. The legs should move up and down when wiggled, and the drumsticks should be tender to the touch.

Scott sliced the chicken breasts for dinner

Thanks for the wine Kelly!

Kelly shared a wonderful 2004 Mt Veeder cabernet sauvignon with us for our fall meal. We caught up on old episodes of Top Chef while we dined. What a perfect Sunday meal.
The next night, I took the leftover chicken and veggies and made a quick healthy roasted chicken salad. I made some lemon-thyme vinaigrette, and par-boiled some green beans from our CSA to add to the salad. Then I arranged lettuce on a plate and topped with the leftover bone-in chicken legs and thighs, veggies, green beans, and vinaigrette.

Roasted Chicken Salad

After 2 meals, all that remained of my chicken was the carcass. So I threw it in a pot with enough water to cover and simmered a few hours to make stock. Then I took out the chicken, picked the good meat off, and returned the chicken meat to the stock with some barley, chopped carrots, green beans, chopped sweet pepper, and a few handfuls of arugula.

Homemade chicken soup

Viola! Chicken soup, made with whatever I happened to have in my fridge and pantry! So easy and so healthy. I ate it 3 days straight (perfect timing on my part, as I came down with a sore throat at the end of the week...my soup was just what I needed).
So that is how I turned 1 beautiful chicken into 3 simple and delicious meals. For those of you who don't cook much (ahem...Katherine & Sarah), it really is all about using quality ingredients in simple ways to bring out the good flavors.
Enjoy your fall meals =)