Perfect job for the cast iron pan
It’s supposed to be sunny and warm outside- it’s mid-May in California after all. The sun is coming, we just have to wait several more days. For now, keep calm and roast a chicken! There is something so satisfying about knowing how to roast a chicken. It’s simple, comforting, and can produce meals for days and broth for weeks. Zuni Cafe’s late Chef Judy Rodgers is credited for this easy technique for Roast Chicken and it’s so easy to replicate at home. All you need to do is plan ahead and make sure to salt that chicken the day before. The old saying goes- you get what you pay for. Buy the very best whole chicken you can afford. It will pay dividends with the meat and the quality of the broth. Some chickens have a nice clean poultry flavor, and some just do not.
Meal #1
This chicken gets a lot of use! Meal #1 includes cut up chicken, roasted veggies and a side salad. Meal #2 takes the chicken off the bone and gets stuffed into chicken tacos with black bean and corn salsa or gets used as the star of a cobb salad. Meal #3 turns into a risotto dish with herbs and mascarpone once you make that homemade broth!
Risotto with Spring Peas, Herbs, and Mascarpone- this was a hit with my family!
Speaking of broth- this is one of the few reasons I own an Instant Pot. I’m not a huge fan, but definitely use it for a few kitchen tasks that would otherwise take constant monitoring or more time than I want to spend. This chicken broth is a great base for many future recipes. In cooking school, I learned the best chicken stock is a neutral stock- one without garlic, ginger or even salt. This way it can be used for a variety of dishes and seasoned appropriately according to the intended dish. In true wannabe Barefoot Contessa style, these quart containers of chicken broth live in my freezer and it makes me happy knowing they are there.
Cheers,
Christina