Roasted Lemon Pastured Chicken
Cook (or bake) once, eat twice or more, like this rich chicken broth. Like that motto? It’s one way of looking at why the time you invest in slow cooking for your family is so rewarding.
This recipe for Roasted Lemon Pastured Chicken is all about cooking once, eating twice. It may even become a family favorite! And, tomorrow, after you and your family have feasted on this mouth-watering meal, feast again. Serve chicken salad that you’ve made from leftovers for lunch.
Let’s get started!
You’ll need:
An iron skillet
- 1 – 3 lb. pastured chicken
- 2 sticks of pastured butter
- 2 fresh lemons
- Salt and fresh-cracked pepper
Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.
Now, do these steps:
Slowly melt the butter in a saucepan on the top of your stove. Meanwhile, cut both lemons in half, and squeeze their juices into a cup. If you have a juicer handy, so much the better if you don’t have to leave any juice behind. Add the juice to the butter, and set the pan aside while you prepare the chicken.
Not everyone takes this step, but if you like to run your pastured chicken under fresh water before baking, be sure you thoroughly pat it dry.
The whole bird is ready to place into the iron skillet. Season it with salt and fresh-cracked pepper.
The final step before the bird goes into the oven is to pour the butter-and-lemon-juice mixture over the breast area first, pouring the rest on the leg-and-thigh area.
Place the chicken on a rack at the center of the oven. Bake for 15 minutes, then carefully baste the chicken with the butter-and-lemon mixture.
Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees. You’ll baste the chicken every 15 minutes for an hour, or until it’s golden brown. Bake for another 15 minutes, if needed.
Remove chicken at the end of the baking time, and let it rest for 15 minutes before carving.
It’s dinner time!
Side dish suggestions:
- Broccoli florets steamed for 5 to 6 minutes and seasoned before serving.
- Salad greens with sliced onions, radishes, green peppers – or whatever veggies you have on hand.
- Warmed crusty buttered bread slices.
Pastured Chicken Salad for lunch the next day
Making chicken salad is a fairly quick task. Here’s all you’ll need:
- Cut-up chicken (one cup? two cups? The quantity will depend on how many will join you.)
- Chopped onion and celery
- Mayonnaise — not too much, but not too little, either
- Salt and pepper
Serving suggestion:
Serve on a bed of lettuce leaves with buttered toast points on the side. If you have a ripe avocado handy, make guacamole and top the chicken salad with a generous dollop.
Bring your family together at mealtime with delicious and healthy recipes like these. Bon appetit!