Sometimes I forget that you don’t need four courses to have people over for a meal. All it takes to entertain friends or family are a couple simple dishes prepared with love, smiles, good conversation and a little music to fill the restful pauses. Try these two dishes: Lemon-Coriander Roast Chicken and Kale Salad with Apple, Dried Cherry and Pecans. Cut down on work and feed others more often.
For a nice roast, use a hot cast iron skillet if you have one.
Embrace the whole chicken! A whole chicken takes longer to cook than its parts, but it’s so easy to execute well. Just season it up and pop it in the oven. Use a hot cast iron skillet, if you have one, and baste the bird with a pastry brush as it cooks to keep it moist, crisp and browning. When it’s done, be sure to allow it to rest for 10-15 minutes before carving so the juices stay inside the meat. With a whole bird you can offer each guest their favorite part – there’s enough to go around.
If you’ve learned one thing from following this blog, I hope it has been taste as you go!
The kale salad is a great complement for the low-carb meal. Start it right after you put the chicken in the oven and it will have time to sit and become less toothsome. This combination of apple, dried cherries and toasted pecans is reminiscent of a Waldorf salad and works well year-round with pantry staples. You can also play around with the dried fruit and nuts to match what’s in your cabinet. Walnuts and raisins work equally well.
So break out your everyday placemats and napkins and feed someone. Then pack up the leftovers for the best sort of doggy bag.
This is how my Nana used to entertain her sorors and friends. The thought of being more like her makes me smile.
Don’t forget to season the chicken cavity. That extra flavor makes all the difference.
Don’t have a microplane? It’s an affordable, worthy tool that will turn your cooking up 10 notches.
Make sure when you zest citrus that you don’t get any of the white pith. That will add an unpleasant bitterness.
No string needed! Learn to truss a chicken with its own skin here.
See! Trussing the chicken with its own skin just looks natural.
If you’re entertaining, try to time it so your guests are there by this stage of basting the chicken. It will just make them salivate.
Another tool: a meat thermometer makes the difference with roasts. If you don’t have one, cut into the leg joint – the juices of a finished bird should run clear with no presence of blood.
Always rest the chicken for 10-15 minutes after removing it from the oven so the juices can settle.
Bonus style points if you can neatly carve the bird at the table.
Prepare the kale salad while the chicken is cooking.
No huge pieces of kale! It may take a little extra time but you should rip everything up into manageable, forkable pieces.
A little garlic goes a long way…
Parsley packs a powerhouse of flavor and is super healthy for the salad.
Use your favorite apple. I went for a sweet option with a good amount of firmness.
Always toast your nuts! Toasting brings out the natural oils and amps up the flavor.
The beauty of a chef’s knife – rocking action to chop a whole cutting board of nuts in a quick swipe.
I like a little honey on my greens.
A toss with all of the dressing and it’s ready to serve!
And when it’s time to serve, everyone gets their favorite piece of the bird.
Not too shabby for an easy meal with everyday napkins, eh?
All photos by Sadé Clacken Joseph.
Lemon-Coriander Roast Chicken and Kale Salad with Apples, Dried Cherries and Pecans
Ingredients
- 1 3-4 pound whole chicken
- 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- --
- 1 bunch of kale
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1/4 cup parsley fine chopped
- 1 apple diced
- 1/4 cup dried cherries
- 1/4 cup pecans
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/4 cup olive oil
Instructions
- For the chicken: Place a cast iron skillet in the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F.
- Using a microplane, grate the zest of one lemon over chicken. Season bird inside and out with salt, pepper, ground coriander and garlic powder. Truss the chicken and place breast side up in cast iron pan. Roast for 45 minutes then baste every 15 minutes with pan drippings until thickest part of meat reaches 165 degrees F, another 45-60 minutes.
- For the kale salad: Wash kale by submerging in a few changes of cold water. Remove tough center ribs and cut or rip into small pieces. Add kale to a large bowl with garlic, parsley, apple and dried cherries.
- Toast pecans over medium heat for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and chop. Add to salad with red wine vinegar, drizzled honey and olive oil. Toss well to coat evenly with dressing. Allow to rest for 20 minutes before serving (optional).
[…] cool weeknights, and awesome leftovers. It tastes great on its own, over rice, or served with chicken or flavorful fish like salmon. You can also make it from canned tomatoes and frozen spinach in a […]