Chicken Pot (Oven Roasted Chicken, Butternut Squash, and Kale)
This is pretty much a weekly-made recipe in the Cold Hill Kitchen. No matter what time of year, we enjoy a delicious roast chicken and the inevitable leftovers that are enjoyed the next day for lunch.
What takes this recipe above and beyond the pleasure of a delicious roast chicken, is that you also cook your side dishes in the same pot, using the rendered chicken fat to cook the sides. (Yum, and yes, healthy.) There are dozens of sides that you can throw in the pot at the end (potatoes, root vegetables, etc.) but my current favorites are butternut squash and kale. If you choose other vegetables, change cooking time accordingly. Email me if you need help with time adjustments.
Do yourself a favor and invest in a good quality chicken—you will taste the difference! Be sure to check the photoblog at the bottom of the page for helpful action shots.
Chicken Pot
1 chicken, about 4 to 5 pounds
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) salted butter, cut into 8 pieces
salt
sides:
1 1/4 pound butternut squash cut into 1’ cubes
1 bunch kale, removed from stems and torn into chip-size pieces
Preheat oven to 425°.
Remove giblets from chicken and discard or save for another use. Rinse chicken, pat dry and place in an enameled, cast iron pot, approximately 12” in diameter.
Lift the skin on both sides of the breast and slide in 4 butter pieces on each side (see picture below.)
Generously sprinkle the chicken, inside and out, with salt. Transfer to the oven, uncovered, and roast the chicken approximately 45 minutes, until breast reaches and internal temperature of 140°.
Remove chicken from the oven and carefully pour off all but two tablespoons of pan juices. (Reserve jus in case you need more for kale.) Add the squash, tossing the pieces in the remaining pan juices, and return to oven.
Once the chicken breast reaches and internal temperature of 160° and the squash is cooked through (about 20 minutes), remove pot from oven and lower the oven temperature to 350° Move chicken to a cutting board to repose and place squash in a bowl and cover to keep warm.
Place the torn kale pieces in the pot and toss with remaining pan juices. (Add some of the reserves juices if needed to coat kale.) Return to oven and turn oven off. Stir kale pieces every 5 minutes until dark and crunchy, about 15 minutes.
Let the chicken repose for 10 minutes before carving. Plate the carved chicken with squash and kale chips. Season with salt and pepper to your liking.
Photolog:
Slide butter pats beneath the skin.
Salt the chicken, inside and out.
When the chicken breast reaches an internal temperature of 140° (after about 45 minutes,) carefully pour all off all but two tablespoons of pan juices. Add the cubed squash and toss with pan juices. Return pot to oven.
Once the chicken breast reaches and internal temperature of 160°and the squash is cooked through, remove pot from oven. Move chicken to a cutting board to repose and place squash in a bowl and cover to keep warm.
Lower oven to 350°. Place the torn kale pieces in the pot and toss with remaining pan juices. Return to oven.
Stir kale pieces every 5 minutes until dark and crunchy, about 15 minutes. Plate the carved chicken with squash and kale chips. Season with salt and pepper to your liking.
