This chicken will yield at least 3 leftover meals: soup, pot pie, and chicken salad. Recipes will follow throughout the week. If you plan to use some of the leftover chicken for a pot pie, triple the recipe for mushroom, chicken gravy.

The recipe requires advanced preparation.

Ingredients

5 lb whole chicken
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 Tablespoon salt
2 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
4 potatoes, Yukon Gold or red
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 fresh thyme sprigs, divided
zest of 1 lemon

Directions

Mix the salt and smoked paprika together and rub the outside and inside of the chicken with the mixture.
Refrigerator overnight uncovered.

When ready to cook:
Quarter the potatoes and toss with 1 tablespoon oil, lemon zest, salt, pepper, and 1 thyme sprig.

Arrange potatoes around the chicken in the baking dish.

Cut a lemon in half and place inside the chicken with the remaining thyme sprig.
Tie the legs of the chicken legs together.
Drizzle 1 Tablespoon olive oil over chicken.
Preheat the oven to 425 Degrees F and toast the chicken for 60-75 minutes.
Rest the chicken for 20 min before cutting.

 

You know your chicken is cooked when the thermometer reads 180°F (82°C) for a whole chicken.
After you remove the meat from the bones, use the bones to make Chicken Noodle Soup.

Make a mushroom chicken sauce to serve with the sliced chicken.

Easy Chicken Mushroom Gravy

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter
8 oz sliced mushrooms
1 packet of Chicken gravy mix
1 cup cold water

Directions

Melt the butter in a small saucepan and add the mushrooms. Cook until the mushroom liquid has evaporated. Whisk the gravy packet with the cold water. Stir into the mushrooms and cook over medium heat until the mixture comes to a low boil. Lower heat and sinner, stirring, for 1 minute. Serve with the chicken.

Hearty Salad

Honey Mustard Dressing
Serves 4

Ingredients
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon water
1 small garlic clove, grated or minced
¼ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions

In a small bowl, whisk together the mustard, olive oil, vinegar, honey, water, garlic, salt, and pepper.
Cover until serving time.

 

Salad

5-6 cups hearty salad greens, such as radicchio, escarole and romaine.
½ cup salad toppings that include fruit and nuts
A handful of croutons
Honey mustard dressing

Direction

Combine the lettuce mix, salad toppings, and croutons in a salad bowl. Add enough dressing to moisten the salad or to your taste.


Posted by in brown gravy, Chicken, Healthy Italian Cooking, potatoes, Salad, Salad Dressing, Sauces