More vacation time?
Yup… you heard that right. We had a week off just a little over a week ago, and we’re back at it. I could get used to this pattern of vacation and work 🙂
I’m not sure how we got his lucky, but it seems as though we picked the best two weeks to vacation this summer–weather-wise. Most of July and a bit of August ended up being pretty wet and not ideal for vacationing in Southern and central Ontario. Our first vacation week was mostly comfortable temperatures and sunshine. So far, this week is panning out to be the same. The temperature is a little milder, but since we don’t have any beach visits in our plans, this is just perfect!
Staycations…
For our first vacation week we rented a cottage about a 3.5 hour drive north east of home. This week’s vacation is a staycation with a couple of day trips planned and a few activities (like today’s competitive afternoon of mini golf) closer to home. This week is all about taking it slow, hanging out with family and friends, visiting some scenic locations for a little hiking, picnics, movies, back to school shopping, good eats, and ice cream. So much ice cream!
Easy meals
Although we had a bit planned for the week, we started our first day with a pyjama and relaxation day. That included taking it easy in the kitchen as well. I decided to prep and test an easy one pan roast chicken recipe. I’ve made many versions of this meal over the years, but I had never jotted down quantities or instructions. Having said that, feel free to change up almost any part of this recipe to include some of your favourite veggies or spices. This is a very versatile dish.
The result was fantastic. The chicken was crispy on the outside and very juicy on the inside. The veggies were flavourful and the sauce was to die for! Our only regret was that we completely forgot to buy crusty bread to soak up the delicious sauce! When you try this recipe, don’t forget the bread!
Here’s to unwinding, to family and friends, to beautiful local lakes and trails, and as always, to eating well. Cheers! Eat well, friends!
This roast chicken recipe is delicious and quick enough for weeknight meals. Chicken, potatoes, veggies, garlic and lemon… your family will ask for more.
- 2 chickens (about 3 1/2 lbs or 1.6 kg each), cut in 6 pieces each (bone-in and skin on)
- 2 lbs (0.91 kg) small white potatoes, washed and cut in bite-sized pieces (about the size of quarter of a gold ball)
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
- 2 medium orange (or red) bell peppers, cut in thin strips
- 12 oz (340 g) cremini mushrooms, cut in half
- 2 tsp coarse salt (for the veggies)
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper (for the veggies)
- 1 small cooking onion, sliced in thin strips
- 2 tsp coarse salt (for the chicken)
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper (for the chicken)
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 8 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 lemons cut in slices
Preheat the oven to 400 ºF.
Spray the bottom of a large roasting pan with cooking spray.
Place the potatoes in the pan.
Place the carrots, peppers and mushrooms over the potatoes.
Sprinkle 2 tsp of salt and 1 tsp of black pepper over the potatoes and toss with your hands to coat everything.
Place the chicken pieces, skin-side-up over the vegetables, inserting them a bit between the potatoes.
Sprinkle the remaining salt, pepper and paprika over the chicken pieces.
Drizzle the olive oil over top and lightly rub the spices and oil into the chicken pieces.
Add the wine down one side of the pan.
Sprinkle the minced garlic over the chicken and insert the lemon slices around and under the chicken pieces.
Place the pan on the bottom third shelf of the oven and roast for 55 minutes.
Set the oven to broil (500 ºF) and move the chicken pan just under the broiler.
Broil for 7 to 8 minutes or until the chicken has a nice golden colour.
Take the pan out of the oven and loosely cover with aluminum foil. Let rest for about 10 minutes.
Move the chicken to one serving dish and the veggies to a second serving dish. You can also serve the meal in the roasting pan for a more rustic feel. Serve and enjoy!
Use a cooking thermometer to test the internal temperature of the chicken (inserted into the thickest part of the meat and not touching the bone). The chicken is cooked when it reaches 165 ºF.
You can also make this recipe with chicken thighs. You may need to reduce cooking time by about 10 minutes.
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