Roasted chicken with seasoned potatoes and shallots , weeknight meals made easy
I am often asked about simple meals —as in easy to make—, for mid-week dinners. Today’s recipe, roasted chicken with seasoned potatoes and shallots, is one of those meals.
I have a simple method (or a little secret) to decide if a recipe is easy to make or if it’s time consuming: if it requires extensive peeling and chopping, or if its final result comes in individual portions, it’s time consuming; if the main work will happen while the dish is in the oven, it’s easy to make.
Let’s see some examples: pisto (which involves chopping a number of vegetables) is a bit time consuming. Meatballs, which you have to roll by hand one by one and then flour one by one, are time consuming. Roast beef, which you season and stick in the oven, is easy. Today’s recipe, roasted chicken with seasoned potatoes and shallots, is easy enough that you can make it for a weekday meal. Make the rub, slice the potatoes into rounds (no need to peel them), quarter the shallots, stick it in the oven and let the magic happen there.
(*) Photo courtesy Maureen Gladiaux
I feel comfortable in the kitchen preparing food using many kinds of methods, but a recipe that requires little work and turns out absolutely finger-licking, like this roasted chicken with seasoned potatoes and shallots? I’m in. A one pan meal that will satisfy the most picky palate.
Fall is happening before my eyes, and if I close them, I’m sure when I open them the ground will be blanketed with a layer of snow. I am exaggerating, of course! But it’s early November and I’ve missed visiting some of the farms and markets I usually enjoy at this time of year. How did this happen? In one word: SOCCER.
This is what happens when you have a son crazy about the sport, and motivated to play it better and better every day. His high school team was Sectional Champion, then Regional Champion, and made it to the Indiana State semi finals. As a result of all this successes, the soccer season kept going on for a few more weeks than usual (and you guessed it! David is the team’s goalkeeper).
So instead of posting the more appropriate photos of a pumpkin farm or a fall farmers market, choosing the colorful pumpkins and gourds that decorate our house and that make it into our meals, I’ll leave you with some photos of our soccer season, very colorful too —particularly our goalie, who is always easy to spot.
For the recipe of roasted chicken with seasoned potatoes and shallots, the most complicated step is to remember to season the chicken at least a few hours before you cook it. And a very important tip: use only organically grown chicken —not only it is healthier for you, but it produces much more tender and juicy meat.
Enjoy it!
Saints Fútbol team, facing the flag during National Anthem
REGIONAL CHAMPIONS!
ROASTED CHICKEN WITH SEASONED POTATOES AND SHALLOTS
Ingredients
- 4 chicken leg quarters
- 1 lb small or baby potatoes
- 1 lemon
- 5 large shallots
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 8 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 7-8 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 head garlic
- 1 1/2 tsp black ground pepper divided
- 2 tsp pimentón de la Vera substitute with paprika
- 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp sea salt flakes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450ºF.
- In a small bowl mix pimentón, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp sea salt, 1 tsp black pepper, about half of the thyme leaves, zest of the lemon and 3 Tbs olive oil. Brush all over the chicken, cover and chill for at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
- Wash and slice unpeeled potatoes into 1/2-inch-thick rounds. Quarter the shallots lengthwise. Slice the lemon into 1/4 inch-thick slices.
- Place potatoes, shallots and lemon in a large bowl. Sprinkle with 1/2 tsp sea salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, remaining thyme leaves, 4 sprigs of rosemary, 1/2 tsp garlic powder and 4 Tbs olive oil. Toss to coat.
- Place chicken leg quarters skin side up in an oven pan large enough to hold the vegetables. Roast the chicken in the pre-heated oven for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and scatter the vegetables around the chicken. Slice the head of garlic transversally and place in the oven pan alongside the chicken and vegetables. Drizzle garlic with 1 Tbs olive oil.
- Return the tray to the oven and roast for an extra 20 to 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are golden and tender on the inside. Remove tray from the oven, arrange the remaining fresh rosemary sprigs and let rest 10 minutes before serving, making sure to drizzle the vegetables with the baking juices.
Notes
- For an extra tender and juicy meat, use an organically raised chicken
- Don't forget to season the chicken a few hours before you cook it!
- Decorate with a few fresh rosemary branches
