Thursday, January 28, 2016

Company-Worthy Roast Chicken #recipe #lowsodium @lucyburdette


LUCY BURDETTE: In addition to casting about for low salt dishes that I can enjoy, I've had the challenge of identifying things to cook that guests will like. I've had a couple of very kind friends make delicious low sodium dinners for me. How I appreciate that! 

Here's the note that my friend Pat left by my plate when we went to her home. Isn't this sweet? She was astonished at how much sodium is in everything.

Anyway, enough about that today! Instead of any more whining, I will give you a roast chicken that's not hard to make and is full of flavor. And then your sodium fiends can add salt as necessary. 



The important key to this is to choose a good chicken. I use either Publix greenwise organic chickens or Bell and Evans. Neither of these have been pre-brined, important if you are watching sodium, and which you might not even think you had to think of! They are more expensive, but to my mind well worth it.

Ingredients


One whole chicken (I'll say it again, please don't scrimp here!)
2 cloves garlic, pressed

3 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley
1 to 2 teaspoons lemon zest
The lemon that has been zested
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened


For the side dish, carrots and small potatoes, olive oil


Preheat the oven to 350. Remove the wrappings from the chicken, cut off any big pieces of excess fat, and make sure the cavity is empty. Mash together the lemon zest, garlic, parsley and butter. Carefully loosen the skin from the top of the chicken and use your fingers to spread the butter mixture under the skin. For a more lemony flavor, stuff the quarters of the lemon you zested into the chicken cavity.




Roast the chicken until a meat thermometer reads 165 and the juices run clear when you cut into the joint between leg and breast. The timing is going to vary depending on your oven. (Like MJ/Victoria, I also have a rocky relationship with my oven.)

 



While the chicken is cooking, cut the fingerlings in two lengthwise, and peel the carrots and cut them into chunks. Douse them in olive oil and sprinkle with black pepper on a baking sheet. 

(If I was eating salt, I would also salt them. Instead, I used some Benton's Table Tasty for some extra flavor.) 

 


About a half hour into the roasting, place the vegetables into the oven and roast them too, until they are soft and brown . Serve with something green and you have a delicious company-worthy dinner!




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14 comments:

  1. I've never actually tried fingerling potatoes, I bet they cook more quickly with the carrots. Looks delicious!

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  2. Isn't roasted chicken amazing? It's such a comforting food (looks and taste) and it dresses up really well for company.

    And this sounds like an excellent batch of flavoring.

    Are your "regular" sodium friends finding they don't need to reach for the salt shaker when eating your lovely creations? It's such a habit for some people to automatically salt everything they eat. Often without tasting it first! (Pet peeve!)

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  3. thank you ladies! I like the fingerlings just because they're cute:). Libby, some of them still reach for salt and I don't mind--I'd probably sprinkle a little if I could...

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    1. That's fine, as long as they taste first and decide it really would benefit from some added salt.

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  4. This looks really good! I love roast chicken and veggies for entertaining. Such a pretty and tasty dinner, but hands off enough that you can spend time with your guests instead of in the kitchen. Will definitely try this!

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  5. This looks really good, thanks. And you did mean sodium fiends and not friends, right, ha ha ha. I was amazed when I started watching sodium and discovered that those convenient already cut quick frozen pieces had lots and lots of sodium added.

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  6. I like good, classic recipes and this one seems perfect! I like the fact that you cooked it without a lot of sodium, it's shocking how much is in food these days!!!

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  7. I admit that I have been paying attention to sodium content because of you. This sounds lovely, and very much like what I made for dinner last night! : )

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  8. You've cooked up the perfect winter recipe, Lucy. Looks delicious.

    ~ Cleo

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  9. THANKS everyone, yes sodium fiends:). I had a rough night last night, volunteering for the Taste of Key West. We traveled by trolley and stopped at 5 restaurants on Stock Island. I didn't dare try any of the dishes, though they looked amazing! (For example, hogfish sliders and grilled shrimp wrapped in bacon...oh my)

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  10. YUM, this looks so good! :) PS I know how you feel. I can't go anywhere for taste-testing because of being gluten-free (and now nut-free). Enough to make me want to drink wine. LOL

    ~Daryl / Avery

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  11. When my dad was alive, my mom made such tasty meals that were low sodium! Dad was so restricted on sodium, but I really liked the meals my mom made for us. (Have you noticed how many brands of frozen peas have a lot of sodium? I think that is crazy!)

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