If I had to pick only one meat dish to eat for the rest of my life it would probably be roasted chicken. A well seasoned bird, roasted at high heat, with crispy skin and super juicy flesh is simple, insanely delicious, and is pretty much the best thing you can do with a chicken (sorry fried chicken fans). As good as it is, however, I can’t help but experiment. Maybe it’s just an excuse to get more roasted chicken in my belly, but I’ve been playing around with a pot-roasted version, in a sauce with some of my favourite things, and it’s definitely won a place in my roasted chicken-loving heart. It’s a little bit more challenging to get the nice brown and crispy skin that you would normally find on a roasted chicken, as the chicken spends some of its roasting time under a lid, but what I like to do is carve it and then put the pieces under the broiler for a minute or two, with maximum skin exposure, striking a balance between juicy flavourful meat and perfect skin.
Today’s pot roasted chicken is made with shallots, garlic, thyme, preserved lemons and green olives. You can find preserved lemons in a well stocked supermarket, a specialty food store, or if you’re extra brave, you can even make them yourself. You can certainly substitute lemon juice and zest, but preserved lemons are extra briny and have a depth of flavour that fresh lemons can only dream of. All of these lovely ingredients are simmered in a wine-based sauce and there’s a pretty special exchange going on between that sauce and the chicken. The super flavourful and aromatic sauce flavours the chicken, and in turn, the chicken yields its juices to flavour the sauce. How cool is that? I served it with buttery egg noodles and super tender haricots verts, but you can substitute your favourite sides instead.
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