November 16, 2005

• Now updated… with pictures!

  
  

  posted by: justbee

  
  

  Okay let’s talk turkey ‘cuz Thanksgiving is just around the corner.  When I was growing up, I longed to have an “American” thanksgiving with turkey, stuffing, and all the fixins.  My family only started having actual Thanksgiving dinners with turkey when I started cooking them.  Because most Koreans didn’t grow up eating turkey, a lot of us don’t really like it (Especially the older relatives).  Serving chicken on Thanksgiving is an excellent alternative because we all like chicken.   

  
  

  Last Christmas I had some friends visiting from LA and I made a Rosemary Roast Chicken recipe that I adapted from the Allrecipes site.  My friend emailed me this weekend and asked me for the recipe so that she could make it for Thanksgiving this year.  I thought I’d post the recipe here for any anti-turkey people out there.  This dish is very easy to make and it’s an entire meal.  I’ve made it several times and my husband loves it.  1 three pound chicken is perfect for 2 people.  You can roast 4 chickens (and larger ones) at a time for a larger crowd.

  
  

  I’m still debating whether or not to make Christmas dinner this year or just have it catered.  My brother, his wife, and my cousin are all coming for the holidays and I’d like to spend time with them instead of spending the entire day in the kitchen cooking.  If you’re lazy like me, here is a list of places that cater Thanksgiving dinner in New York.

  
  

  Rosemary Roast Chicken

  
  

  
  

  

  
  

  Ingredients:

  
  

  1, 3 pound whole chicken (rinsed)
  salt and pepper to taste
  1 small onion, quartered
  1/4 cup chopped fresh rosemary
  4 tb butter
  1 can chicken broth
  brussel sprouts
  baby red potatoes
  baby carrots
  garlic cloves
  2 lemons

  
  

  Directions:
  
  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Put in 1 tb of butter and some garlic in between the skin and each breast and each thigh.  Squeeze one lemon over the chicken.  Baste chicken with butter or olive oil.   Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Stuff with onion, rosemary, garlic cloves, and lemon wedges.  Place assorted vegetables on baking pan – no need to do any chopping.  You can use any vegetables you like, but brussel sprouts turn out the best surprisingly.  Pour chicken broth into the pan.  Place chicken over the bed of vegetables.  The general rule with stuffed chickens is to allow 20 minutes of cooking time per pound.  So a 3 pound bird would take about an hour to cook.  If you’re unsure whether or not the chicken is done, stick a meat thermometer into the thigh – the temperature should read 180 degrees when it’s done.  Remember to baste with the broth every 20 minutes.  Let the chicken stand for about 15 minutes after it’s done and then serve.  This dish is good year round not just on Thanksgiving or Christmas. 

  
  

  

  
  

  
  

  Don’t forget to remove the giblets from inside the bird cavity.  One year I looked and looked for turkey giblets and I couldn’t find them.  I found them after I cooked the entire bird and let me tell you it was pretty nasty.

  
  

  

  
  

  If you cook the chicken breast side down for the first hour and then flip it over, you don’t have to baste at all.  I hate touching the chicken though so I just prefer to baste.

  
  

  

  
  

  I put some mashed potatoes into creme brulee dishes with a pat of butter and some rosemary on top and put it in the oven for the last 15 minutes.

  
  

  

  
  

  I always have leftover rosemary so I stuff some in between the skin and the breasts and sprinkle some over the veggies.  You can tell in this picture.

  
  

  

  
  

  A complete and very easy meal.

  • 11:07 pm
  • 32 Comments