I started making Citrus Roasted Chicken and Veggies several years ago. It is an adapted recipe from one in a Rachael Ray cookbook. The original recipe called for Cornish Game Hens and a few other variations. I found that I could achieve the same flavors and easy to cook meal using any skin on, bone in chicken from the store. I find it is absolutely necessary to have the skin and bone components but other than that use the chicken that you like to eat or is the cheapest/on sale at the store. In our house we always use chicken leg quarters.
This meal is also one that is great for Meal Trains for families when the community is helping to provide meals for the family for any number of reasons. In my own experience and also looking at the calendars of others receiving meal trains Meal Trains tend to be heavily skewed towards casseroles and things with red sauce/pasta. While any meal is appreciated during times that warrant the need for a meal train its also nice to be able to mix it up for the family and bring them something else that does not require alot of work on your part. I was also able to make this dish with a few modifications to be sodium free for a family that was on a very strict diet due to a heart condition. The citrus zest and juice adds lots of flavor to the dish to counteract the lack of sodium.
The other great aspect of this dish is that it is a one pan dish and can be prepped in under 10 minutes to go into the over. Consequently, I tend to make this dish when my husband is traveling for work and it is just me with the kiddo. I can prep this meal before I pick him up from school and throw it in the over when we get home. Approximately 1 hour later dinner is ready and I was able to spend that time with him playing outside and not actively cooking.
The pan you choose to use for this dish does have an impact on cooking time. I find if I use a cookie sheet I can have this meal ready in under an hour. If I use a dish with higher sides then it takes longer for the veggies to get soft. When checking to see if the meal is ready remember to check both the chicken and the veggies.
A Zester is a key kitchen tool to use when making this dish. If you do not have a zester you need to buy one ASAP! A zester is basically a hand held grater that you can use to remove the colored part of the outside of any citrus fruit. That colored part of the citrus fruit contains sooo much flavor. Amazon and other big box retailers sell them for around $10. Do yourself a favor and go buy one to add to your kitchen arsenal.
Use a Zester as part of prepping the Citrus Roasted Chicken.
Citrus Roasted Chicken
Ingredients:
- 1lb Bag of Baby Carrots
- 1-2lbs Potatoes
- Bone-In, Skin On Chickenof Choice – I recommend Chicken Leg Quarters
- 1 Orange
- 1 Lemon
- Mixed Seasoning of Choice – we like Mixed Up Salt but any blend will work or just use salt and pepper.
- Oil of choice for Coating Veggies
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Prep Potatoes. Wash and Peel (if desired) the potatoes. Slice the potatoes into desired shape and size. I use a potato slicer from Pampered Chef that makes the potatoes a similar size and shape to the baby carrots. It is also the quickest way I have to slice the potatoes so it is my method of choice.
- Place Potatoes and Baby Carrots in your baking dish. Make sure you read my note above about the impact your baking dish will have on the cooking time of the dish.
- Coat the veggies with a small amount of oil – you only need enough oil to coat the veggies so that the seasoning sticks to them. You do not need any extra oil sitting in the bottom of the dish.
- Use a generous amount of the seasoning on the veggies – I use enough to be able to see it on most of the veggie pieces.
- Zest half of the lemon and orange over the veggies.
- Place the chicken pieces on top of the veggies.
- Season the chicken with the mixed seasoning and the other half of the lemon and orange zest.
- Place the baking dish in the oven and cook until the chicken is at least 165 degrees and the juices are running clear. You also want to check and make sure the veggies are tender.
- Once you remove the dish from the oven squeeze the entire lemon and orange all over the dish.
- Serve and enjoy!
Citrus Roasted Chicken
