One Dish Thanksgiving Dinner for Two (or one)
One dish Thanksgiving dinner - baked chicken with seasonal vegetables
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 90 minutes
Serves: 2-4 servings
Ingredients:
1 butterfly / spatchcocked chicken (3-4lbs)
3 lbs of chopped seasonal vegetables
1 lb of fennel (can also use celery/parsnip)
1 lb of carrots (can also use squash / pumpkin)
1 lb of potato (can also use yam/sweet potato)
1.5 tbsp of thyme (can also use oregano or rosemary)
1/2 tsp of salt
1 tsp of baking powder (without aluminium) or 1/2 tsp of salt
(optional) 2 tbsp of butter
(optional) 1/2 bunch of parsley for garnish
Cooking Tools:
Foil dish or large casserole dish for baking
Directions :
Wash and chop the vegetables.
Add all the vegetables into the dish. Mix in 1/2 tsp of salt, 1 tbsp of thyme, and half of the chopped parsley (optional).
Cover the vegetables with the chicken. Rub the remainder 1/2 tbsp of thyme over the chicken, as well as the optional baking powder (or salt).
Carefully separate the skin from the chicken breast, and slide in thin slices of butter in between the skin and meat.
Cover with foil and bake at 350F for an hour.
Remove the chicken from the over, take off the foil and bake uncovered at 400F for 15~30 min depending on your oven to give it some color and for the skin to crisp up.
Garnish with parsley and serve.
Cooking Tip:
Sliding the butter between the breast meat and skin will keep the chicken breast moist and not dry out while baking.
Baking powder will help the chicken skin crisp up - but it also contains a bit of sodium. If you choose to skip the baking powder, add back 1/2 tsp of salt on the chicken for seasoning.
Stay healthy with Annie:
Chicken and turkey, particularly those that are pasture raised, are a solid stable to include into your balanced diet. They provide rich in B vitamins (important for brain function), minerals, and a great source of nourishing protein. The key is to keep portions in balance, paired with lots of vegetables, and keep a variety in your diet. I will be updating my blog with the why on this soon!
Nutritious and Delicious:
You can make this dish with almost any seasonal vegetable. Cooked with savory chicken au jus, the vegetables become the star of the dish full of aroma and flavor. Try to choose a selection of vegetables that provides a vibrant variety of color - which will give your dinner a boost of vitamins and antioxidants. A general rule of thumb is the more colorful the vegetable (e.g. purple potatoes), the higher its antioxidant content.