The following “Chew This!” column originally appeared in “The Courier-Times” and / or “The Shelbyville News”. Check their websites for further information and dates.

Roasted Chicken with Vegetables
Blaise Doubman

I love sharing recipes with everyone but even more so, I love hearing your feedback. Over the last few months your feedback has been mainly leading me into two directions. You all have written in and would like more dinner meal ideas and also some healthier options. Today, I will be sharing both with all of you! Let me first start off by admitting my love of anything dessert, sugar and chocolate. I know that that is not the healthiest of choices but for me, it is one of my true loves and honestly, the most fun for me to talk and write about. However, I do also share a love for vegetables, grilled chicken and salads. Yes, believe it or not, one of my very favorite foods of all time is kale! I love kale! Roasted, boiled, steamed, just about any way I can fix it, I will eat it! And I do not smother it in cheese or anything else either. Just a simple sprinkling of salt, pepper and a drizzle of apple cider vinegar. So, on the other hand, even though I enjoy talking and writing about dessert more, I realize that a person cannot simply live on butter and sugar alone. Therefore, over the many years of my recipe developing, recipe writing and recipe researching, nearly all of my recipes that I have shared, either through my column here, my website or my cookbooks, can be shaped into healthier options. If you find a recipe of mine that you like but see there is too much butter or sugar, simply modify the recipe to fit your standards and tastes. There are loads of options in every grocery store in America nowadays where you can find sugar substitutes, gluten free flour options and even specialized ingredients that help maintain the blood sugar levels of those struggling with diabetes.

I will admit that over the years I have experimented with sugar substitutes and different flour options, and most generally the recipes I share always work, even with slight modifications. Did you know you can buy banana flour right along with the almond flour in your local grocery? True story! Our supermarket shelves and sections are flooding with healthier options and options those with food sensitivity can use and enjoy! The last several years has really been a breakthrough in the market of specialized food products and it is really quite amazing! The recipe I am sharing here today is a delicious healthy meal, that can also be, like my other recipes, translated and fit with your own personal tastes. Substitute the potatoes and carrots in this recipe for parsnips and onions! Or even brussels sprouts and broccoli! The cook time here will depend on your oven and the size of your chicken, so be sure to check thoroughly with a meat thermometer. And if you are looking for other meal ideas, or even healthier options, please check out my website. Currently my online recipes for tofu fries, tuna salad, breaded and baked pork chops and parchment baked chicken are some of my most popular recipes!

Roasted Chicken with Vegetables

Leftovers are best kept covered and chilled in the refrigerator.

1 large roasting chicken (6-7 pounds)
Olive oil
Salt
Black pepper
4 tablespoons butter, softened
6 cups mini carrots
6 cups washed and sliced potatoes, skin on
4 lemons
2 cups chicken stock

Start by preheating your oven to 425 degrees F and spray a large roasting pan with non-stick cooking spray.

Remove chicken giblets and dispose. Pat chicken dry with a paper towel. Place in roasting pan.

Sprinkle the chicken with quite a bit of salt and black pepper.

Next, flatten out the 4 tablespoons of softened butter between your hands, and place it gently underneath the breast skin, on the top of the chicken. Do this by gently pulling back the skin from the breast, being sure not to separate the two completely and placing the butter under the skin and gently press the skin and meat to spread out evenly.

Next, add the mini carrots and sliced potatoes around the chicken in the roaster.

Sprinkle the potatoes and carrots with quite a bit of salt and black pepper.

Drizzle olive oil over everything – the chicken and the vegetables.

Cut the lemons in half, remove seeds carefully, and squeeze over everything. After squeezing, place lemons inside the chicken cavity.

Finally, pour in 2 cups of chicken stock.

Cover, and place in preheated oven for 1 1/2 – 2 hours, or until fully cooked.

Remove, allow to sit covered for about 20 minutes, and serve.

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