Even on a stormy summer day, a quick roasted chicken recipe is all you need to get a satisfying and comforting meal on the table with minimal effort. You will look like a superstar when you pull this one out of the oven! And you can feel great about leftovers even if you’re only cooking for 2. Full of healthy ingredients like cilantro, this is a crowd pleaser.
Comfort food, like roasted chicken, makes a great Sunday night meal. A perfect way to end the weekend with great intentions for the week ahead. This recipe is one of many that I have as part of my Crave Cure program to keep you on track and feeling fine!
The Health benefits of Cilantro
Cilantro is both an herb and a spice; leaves of the plant are used as an herb but the plant also has aromatic seeds that are used in cooking as well, called coriander seeds. The cilantro plant, Coriandrum sativum, may be one of the oldest herbs in history and there is evidence that ancient Egyptians and Romans used it. Cilantro has been shown to have a myriad of antiseptic, anti-fungal, antioxidant, disinfectant and antibacterial properties. Also, it is loaded with antioxidants, vitamins A, B, C and K and is loaded with minerals and fibre. Use this herb as a detoxifying herb, but remember that too much can cause issues. It is best to use this herb in foods to reap its benefits rather than to use it medicinally.
Why Some People Can’t Stand Cilantro
There’s one in every group. The person who says that cilantro tastes like soap. Why is it like that for some people, and other people, like me, love it? I cannot get enough cilantro in my life. Cilantro tastes like soap because of genetics. Their body is equipped to pick up on the chemical components, called aldehydes, that are responsible for the flavour. Good news! Other than missing out on some great flavours at the local Mexican restaurant, you can switch out cilantro for parsley when cooking at home. Feel free to do the same in my recipe below if you need to.
Quick Roasted Chicken Recipe
Quick Roasted Chicken Recipe
Whip this chicken up when you want to look like you slaved away in the kitchen, but really spent the day doing what you wanted to!
Ingredients
- 1 whole pasture raised chicken 6-8 lbs
- 2 tbsp. lemon juice
- 1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
- 6 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 tsp. sea salt
Instructions
- Let the chicken sit at room temperature for 1 hours prior to beginning the recipe. If you skip this step you risk having a very dry chicken.
- Preheat your oven to 400ºF.
- Split the chicken in half using shears. Cut along the breast bone until the chicken is split in half. Turn the chicken upside down, now having the skin part of the chicken facing you. With your hands flatten the chicken as much as possible. Place in a roasting pan or baking sheet breast side up.
- Place the lemon juice, garlic, cilantro , olive oil and sea salt in a food processor and blend until you have a puree.
- Smear the puree all over the skin of the chicken and also in the other side (inside of chicken). If possible smear some mixture between skin and breast as well.
- Place and over and cook until the breast part of the chicken reach 180-190F. Should take 45-1.5 hours based on the size of the chicken.