Happy March! I suppose it’s halfway through March, but doesn’t it feel like it just started? So the Crockpot Challenge was a success! We got a little sick of the “crockpot texture” – where everything is a little mushy, not like baby food mushy, just you know…crockpot-y. But it sure was nice being able to come home from work and do very little food prep! Our two favorites BOTH came from Danielle Walker’s Against All Grain cookbook. I highly recommend it!
#1 on the right – Pulled BBQ Chicken! SO yummy. Josh had his in a bun and we actually made the recipe again less than week later for friends! I did half honey, half molasses because I really like that deep flavor of the molasses in a BBQ sauce. The coleslaw recipe that she pairs with it is a winner too! Josh is not a coleslaw fan, but he loves this stuff!
#2 on the left – Sesame Orange Chicken! Loved this one, too. We had it over baked sweet potatoes instead of cauliflower rice. I also added broccoli to the chicken about halfway through (you could add it in at the beginning) so that the crockpot would do the work cooking my veggies as well.
Last week there was an excellent sale on organic chicken “grill packs.” Quite honestly, I’m not sure I understand the grill pack thing, but it makes an excellent pack to roast! This recipe is super simple and the clean-up is quick! Enjoy!
Maple Rosemary Roasted Chicken and Veggies
Serves 4
2-2.5 lbs bone-in, skin-on chicken
2-3 cups chopped veggies of your choice (I did sweet potatoes, onions, zucchini, and carrots)
2 tbsp grass-fed butter (softened or melted)
2 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp chopped rosemary
2 garlic cloves, minced
salt and pepper to taste
Directions
- Preheat your oven to 400° F and prepare a baking sheet or roasting pan. I cover mine in foil, you can also prep it with some bacon grease, coconut oil, or olive oil.
- Chop your veggies into 1 inch chunks. My goal is to keep all the veggies the same size for even roasting.
- Lay everything out on your sheet/pan, spreading the chicken out evenly with the largest pieces in the center. Salt and pepper your chicken.
- Whisk together melted (or softened) butter, maple syrup, and garlic. With a basting brush, cover your chicken and vegetables with the butter and maple syrup mixture.
- Season vegetables to taste and place in the oven to roast, 50-60 minutes. The chicken browns pretty nicely with the butter, but for an even crispier skin broil for 2-5 minutes on high.
- Plate and enjoy while it’s hot!
