Easy, healthy weeknight staples

Here's a weeknight staple I love that's great to serve year round. Fall puts me in the mood for anything roasted and there's nothing like roast chicken when you want some comfort food. Anything you can stick in the oven for 45 minutes and leave unattended is pretty stress-free, in my book!


The biggest secret to moist, mouth-watering chicken is buying a skin-on bone-in cut; the bone is what keeps it juicy. Buying a split chicken breast allows you to still have all white meat that doesn't dry out during cooking. 


I chose to serve mine with some baby carrots and a Moroccan couscous because I happened to have that in the house. If you have regular carrots, you could chop them up, sprinkle on some olive oil, salt and pepper and throw them in at the same time as the chicken. They'll both be done together! Otherwise make the carrots and couscous about 15 minutes before the chicken is due to come out of the oven.


You'll notice I always specify Kosher salt and unsalted butter for two reasons. Kosher salt is lower in sodium than regular table salt. Using unsalted butter is another way of controlling the amount of salt that goes in your food.


Roast Chicken
1 skin-on, bone-in split chicken breast (per person) 
Olive oil
Kosher salt
Black pepper
Fresh rosemary (or thyme, whichever you have)


Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Pat the chicken breasts dry and place on a large roasting sheet/cookie tray. Using your fingers, slide one whole branch of fresh rosemary under the skin. Season skin generously (or to your taste) with salt and pepper. Apply olive oil to skin and massage in with salt and pepper. Roast in oven for approximately 35 - 45 minutes. Remove herbs before eating.


Sauteed Carrots (serves 4; for 2, just cut everything in half)
1 Pound baby carrots
Juice of 1 lemon
2 Tbs honey
1 Tbs unsalted butter
Kosher salt
Black Pepper


Bring a pot of water to boil, add 2 tbs of kosher salt and carrots. Once carrots are fork tender (approximately 5 minutes) drain and return to pot. Lower pot to medium heat; add butter, lemon juice and honey. Stir occasionally until sauce thickens approximately 3 minutes. Serve while hot!


Moroccan Couscous (serves 4, generously)
1 Tbs unsalted butter
2 Medium shallots, chopped
1 1/2 Cups Israeli couscous 
1/2 Cup toasted pine nuts (heat a small pan on medium and toast nuts until fragrant, light brown, about 5 minutes)
1/4 Cup currants - or raisins, whichever you have
3 Cups low sodium chicken stock or broth
Kosher salt
Black pepper

Melt the butter in a large saute pan, add the shallots and cook for 3 minutes over medium heat. Add the chicken stock, salt and pepper, raise the heat to high and bring the stock to a boil. Remove from the heat and add the couscous. Cover the pan and let it sit for 10 minutes.

Add the pignoli nuts and currants to the couscous, stir and serve.

PS - don't hate me, but this is actually pretty healthy. Substitute the couscous with some quinoa (will post a recipe for this another day this week) and you're gluten free, too.

Enjoy!

xoxo

Chef AP