Oh So Simple/Good Roast Chicken, Simple Sauce Too!
Oven temp: 400 Time 50-55 minutes
We love chicken in our house. Any way works for us, but sometimes it can be rather bland. I favor dark meat because I feel it has more flavor, is hard to overcook, is usually cheaper to buy, and it has more goodness health wise. It does take a little longer to cook then white meat, however. If you have ever cooked a whole chicken or turkey you might have found if the dark meat is not quite done, the white meat probably is. But sometimes if the dark meat is done the white meat is a little too done. Bone in also makes a difference in tenderness, time and flavor. Just remember, every step your grocer does breaking down a chicken or turkey for you costs you extra money.Â
Today I prepared a favorite way I like to roast chicken legs, but it can be used with any chicken pieces, it's such a simple sauce I even use it on pork tenderloins etc. Tweak to your likes, another words, more maple syrup, less butter or lite soy sauce, to your taste as I like to say. I have also used teriyaki sauce in place of the lite soy sauce, and now and then might add a little dijon mustard and make it a little richer sauce. This is the same recipe I use for my bone in skin on chicken thighs. Maybe you won't be doing thanksgiving this year, as a lot of us aren't, this is a simple recipe, yet a little elegant to have in place of doing a turkey for just a couple people.
Here is what I do: preheat oven to 400 degrees
In a small saucepan or mic heat:
1/2 cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons lite soy sauce just until butter has melted
Lightly spray your baking dish
Layer your chicken pieces in dish
Sprinkle with any spices you might like, I use Herbes de Provence, fresh rosemary sprigs
Pour sauce over and place in preheated oven for 50 minutes, basting several times, check for doneness, might need 5-10 minutes more, this will depend on size of chicken pieces
Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes
Can serve over rice, noodles or as is
Note: if using chicken breasts cook about 10 minutes less
I am a fresh rosemary freak, love it, so I toss a little in everything from my plant. Dried works fine too, or any other fresh spice you might have, I for some reason do not care for fresh basil in this dish, however, but whole garlic cloves sprinkled around work great too, of course, your chicken dish and your kitchen your choice.
Stay safe everyone!!
