Best Roast Chicken Roots With Lemon Poppy Seed Sauce Recipes

ROAST CHICKEN WITH LEMON & ROSEMARY ROOTS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Tip the carrots, celeriac, swede, onions and garlic into a large roasting tin with the oil, rosemary leaves and a grinding of black pepper. Toss well and roast for 5-10 mins while you get the chicken ready.
• Grate the zest and squeeze the juice from the lemon, set aside and put the lemon shells and the woody stalks from the rosemary inside the chicken. Stir the veg, scatter over the lemon zest and drizzle over the juice, then sit the chicken on top of the veg and roast for 1-1 1/4 hrs until the chicken is tender but still moist. Take the chicken from the oven and leave to rest for 10 mins. Keep the veg in the oven and steam one of the bags of kale (if you're eating this over two days for the Healthy Diet Plan, otherwise steam both).
• Squeeze the garlic from the skins, carve the chicken and serve with the vegetables.

GARLIC-ROASTED CHICKEN AND ROOT VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Position an oven rack just below the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• For the butter: In a small bowl, combine the butter, rosemary, thyme, lemon juice, salt, pepper and garlic until smooth.
• For the chicken: Tuck the wings under the chicken. Sprinkle the cavity of the chicken with salt and pepper. Spoon 2 tablespoons of the butter mixture into the cavity. Place the rosemary, thyme and lemon quarters in the cavity. Tie the legs together loosely with kitchen string. Place the chicken in a large roasting pan.
• Starting at the neck end of the chicken, loosen the skin over the entire chicken breast. Smear the remaining butter mixture over the outside and under the skin of the chicken, being careful not to tear the skin.
• For the vegetables: In a large bowl, toss together the oil, rosemary, thyme, salt, pepper, potatoes, carrots, parsnips, shallots and garlic.
• Arrange the vegetables around the chicken in a single layer. Add the broth and roast until the vegetables are tender and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken thigh registers 160 to 165 degrees F, about 1 1/2 hours. Let the chicken rest for 20 minutes.
• Transfer the chicken to a platter. Arrange the vegetables around the chicken. Scrape the contents of the roaster into a 4-cup measuring cup. Spoon off the layer of fat that rises to the top. Season the pan juices with salt and pepper, if needed. Serve the chicken with the pan juices.

THRICE-ROASTED CHICKEN WITH ROSEMARY, LEMON AND PEPPER

Steps:

• Brine the chicken: Using your fingers, rub bay leaf and thyme sprigs until fragrant. In a large nonreactive container, combine 1 gallon cold water with the herbs, salt, sugar, lemon and peppercorns. Stir until sugar and salt dissolve. Add chicken, making sure pieces are completely submerged. Cover and refrigerate for 8 to 12 hours.
• Make the rub: Combine peppercorns, parsley and rosemary in a mortar or a small food processor. Crush together until peppercorns are finely ground. Mix in mustard, vinegar, lemon zest and juice, garlic and anchovy paste. Rub should be thick, but not stiff; loosen with a little olive oil if needed. Taste and season with salt if necessary.
• Remove chicken from brine and rinse under cold running water. Thoroughly pat it dry with paper towels. Once paper towels come away completely dry, smear the skin with the rub until evenly coated.
• Place the chicken, skin side up, on a cooling rack set over a rimmed baking sheet. Refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours, or until the rub dries and doesn't smudge easily when prodded.
• Cook the chicken: Remove chicken from refrigerator 1 hour before roasting. Heat oven to 400 degrees.
• Slick a large, heavy pan, preferably cast iron, with a thin coating of oil and set over medium heat. When oil is shimmering-hot, lay chicken in pan, skin side down. Press down slightly on the pieces so their skin is in maximum contact with the pan. Raise heat to medium-high and sear chicken for 7 minutes, or until edges turn golden brown. You should hear a steady, loud sizzle, but no popping sounds; reduce heat if needed.
• Without flipping pieces, transfer pan to oven and roast for 17 minutes, or until breast juices run clear and drumsticks wiggle easily at their joints. When ready, the meat should be about 140 degrees at its thickest part.
• Finish the chicken: Remove pan from oven and place on stovetop over medium-low heat. Add butter, bay leaf and herb sprigs. As butter begins to foam, tip the pan slightly and baste chicken with butter for 2 to 3 minutes, or just until butter browns.
• Remove chicken from pan and place pieces, skin side up, on a cooling rack set over a large rimmed baking sheet. Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes so the juices settle and skin crisps. The internal temperature should be about 160 degrees. If you'd like, carve the pieces, separating the whole breast into two or four pieces, and separating the thighs from drumsticks. Place chicken on a warmed serving platter.
• Make vinaigrette, if desired: Pour all the drippings back into the roasting pan. Whisk in vinegar and lemon juice. Taste and adjust the seasonings with lemon juice, salt and pepper. Pour around the chicken. (Alternatively, simply pour the drippings from the cutting board around the pieces.) Serve immediately.