Chipotle Honey Lime Roasted Chicken and Greek Roasted Chicken

Greek Roasted Chicken

Okay, I'll admit it....until recently I had never roasted a chicken. I know, I know, my Grandmother would roll over in her grave, but it just seemed pointless since buying a raw chicken and going to all that trouble costs only about a dollar less than an already cooked rotisserie chicken. Until I roasted my first one. OMG....moist...flavorful...delicious! Now I'm hooked. Here are two recipes that are wonderful (As if you had any doubts) You can easily roast two chickens on Sunday and have plenty of leftovers for the busy week. The Honey Lime Chipotle one is really good served in tortillas, also.



This is the gross part...you have to release the icky raw chicken from it's package (some people say wash it, some say don't bother, so I didn't bother) and then (hang on tight!)  you have to stick your hand up inside the cavity (EEEWW!!!!) and take out the scary and strange assortment of things that someone has stuffed up in there like some sort of crazy freakin' meat by product pinata. Seriously...this is disgusting. There is liver, a neck and God only knows what else in there. It really made me seriously reconsider my eschewing of med school because after that, I think I could totally rock being an Obstetrician.  Cut off any extra skin that is around the cavity (Plastic surgery, oh yeah...now I'm kinda getting into it)



Place the bird on a broiler pan with foil around the bottom and the top sprayed with Pam for easier clean up. Then season as directed in the recipes below. Baste? Ummm...I can't because all of the drippings are in the bottom of the broiler pan. So, save some of the marinade out in a seperate bowl and dilute with some wine/olive oil/broth for your basting needs. More on that later.

This is the finished Greek Chicken. Opa!!!!



Chipotle Honey Lime Roasted Chicken Ingredients

Ready to go in the oven

Ready to eat.

Greek Roasted Chicken

One Chicken (about 4 lbs)

Salt

Lemon Pepper

Thyme

Oregano

1 lemon

1/2 a yellow onion (cut in 4 pieces)

Olive Oil

8 cloves of garlic

Garlic Powder

After following the prep instructions above, you have your chicken on the broiler pan. Preheat your oven to 375. Pour a little Olive Oil in your hand and give the bird a little rub down. Then squeeze the lemon over and inside the bird. Stuff the used lemon halves, garlic cloves and the pieces of onion up into the cavity. That's right, I know..eww. Just do it.

Sprinkle the chicken generously with Oregano, Thyme, Garlic Powder, Lemon Pepper and a little Salt.

Place it in the oven - you will probably have to lower a rack.

Make a simple basting sauce of olive oil, wine, spices, and a little chicken broth or bouillon. Baste every 15 minutes until the last 45 minutes, then stop basting so the skin can get all nice and crispy. After cooking, let the chicken rest for about 10 minutes before carving. This is really good with rice and veggies and/or Caesar Salad.

Chipotle Honey Lime Roasted Chicken



One Chicken ( about 4 lbs)

1/2 cup Mayonaise

Splash of Olive Oil

Zest and Juice of 1 Lime (keep used lime halves)

4 Tbsp pureed Chipotles in Adobo sauce (puree the entire contents of the can)

Salt

Pepper

Honey (to taste - about 4 Tbsp)

Fresh Cilantro - some chopped some left on stems

Half a Yellow Onion - cut into four pieces

Prep chicken as directed above. In a large bowl whisk together the Mayo, Chipotle, Olive Oil, Lime Zest, Lime Juice, Honey and Salt and Pepper to taste. Reserve 1/4 cup of Mayo/Chipotle mixture in a seperate bowl. Brush non reserved Mayo/Chipotle mixture generously over and inside chicken. Sprinkle generously with chopped Cilantro. Stuff bird with used lime halves, Onion pieces and Cilantro on the stem.

To the reserved mixture, add a splash of white wine, some more olive oil and or some chicken broth. This will be used for basting. You remember basting? It's what we used to do with baby oil to our bodies when we laid out by the pool back in the 70s to get that 'savage' tan.

Bake at 375 for about 2 hours, basting every 15 minutes (careful not to wash off the cilantro) at first, but then don't baste the last 45 minutes.


My Grandmother would be proud!