Roasted chicken is a classic family recipe: it’s quick, it’s easy, and it even makes leftovers! And roasting a whole chicken is much, much more economical than buying just the breasts. But it’s also easy to get bored of chicken with nothing but garlic, salt, and pepper, maybe with a little basil thrown in. So in the spirit of trying something new, here are 20 recipes that do something different with a whole chicken.
International Seasonings
Who said chicken has to be served with gravy and green beans? Try these delicious recipes inspired by cuisines from around the world:
1. Paleo Indian spiced roasted chicken (Plaid and Paleo)
2. Whole roasted masala chicken (Things My Belly Likes)
3. Thai-flavored roast chicken (Lemon Squeezy)
4. Five spice maple chicken (The Primalist)
5. Spanish chicken with sherry and garlic (Spanish Food Blog)
6. African chicken (The Spice House)
7. Irish roast chicken (Erin Brighton) – note that the page also includes a carrot recipe which isn’t Paleo, but the chicken is.
Chicken With Friends…
Spice rubs are all very good, but another way to make chicken a little snazzier is to cook it with some friends. Either as stuffing or as a same-pan side dish, all of these recipes feature chicken with something else.
(Note that some of the recipes call for potatoes. You can leave them out if you like, but there’s nothing wrong with potatoes.)
8. Roasted apricot chicken with herbes de provence (Organic Kitchen)
9. Balsamic roast chicken with tomatoes and new potatoes (Naked Cuisine)
10. Pesto and avocado-stuffed chicken (Virginia is for Hunter-Gatherers)
11. Roast chicken with sausage stuffing (The Not-So Desperate Housewife)
12. The bacon chicken (Paleo Parents)
13. Roast chicken with persimmons and sage (Adventures in Cooking)
New Techniques
Ready to get a little experimental? Why not try these new and different techniques for making your bird shine?
14. Rock Salt Roasted Chicken (Primally Inspired) – Equipment needed: rock salt (ice cream salt), which you can find at any grocery store.
15. Brick Chicken (Serious Eats) – Equipment needed: either a brick and one cast-iron skillet or two cast-iron skillets and something very heavy and heat-proof to use as a weight.
16. “Beer can” Chicken (Paleo Parents) – Equipment needed: a vertical roaster
17. Slow-cooker roast chicken and gravy (Nom Nom Paleo) – Equipment needed: a slow-cooker.
Other Ideas
Sometimes, new and different cooking techniques don’t fit neatly into one category or another. So here’s a round-up of some excellent “miscellaneous” ideas: browse through and see what interests you!
18. Everything Chicken (Worth Cooking) – yes, like an everything bagel; it’s tastier than it sounds!
19. Country Captain (Saveur) – replace the canola oil with a Paleo-friendly fat, and leave off the rice and peanuts.
20. Porcini-rubbed roasted chicken (Food52) – the chicken itself is Paleo, but note that the pan sauce isn’t Paleo as written, although you could replace the flour with almond flour if you wanted.
So...what's next on your chicken-to-cook list? Let us know on Facebook or Google+!
Leave a Reply