This recipe for Roasted Chicken Two Ways is a guest post by food blogger, Linda Walbridge from The Orange Bee. To find more recipes from Linda, be sure to visit her site!
Roasted Chicken Dinner and Leftover Chicken Tacos
The dictionary defines my husband and me as this ~ Empty Nesters: parents whose children have grown up and left home. Yes, that is us. There may only be two of us living here, despite that, I want to prepare and serve “BlueRibbon” dinners. I think we all do, us empty nesters. This recipe for a simple, no-fuss roast chicken is one of my “go to” recipes as not only is it delicious, but I can make two meals with it. I feel accomplished when after dinner one night, I safely store leftovers for the next night’s meal, knowing it will be completely different than the first.
You have two options here; one is to roast your own chicken, and the other is to purchase a pre-roasted chicken at the grocery store. If you go the second route, I encourage you to choose one without additives, other than herbs and spices. I like to use fresh herbs, with a generous sprinkle of salt and pepper, and green onions tucked in the cavity. Versatility is the key to having fun in the kitchen and this recipe lends itself perfectly to that concept. This recipe is easily adaptable using your favorite herbs and spices, so have fun and experiment with it.
The first night I like to serve the chicken, using the dark meat alongside a fresh, crisp salad and rice, potatoes, or a veggie. The next night, I cube the tender white meat for chicken tacos. Making tacos is a great way to consume any unused salad ingredients from the night before. Keep in mind, one-stop shopping!
You won’t spend too much time in the kitchen creating these delicious and economical meals. That’s what I like the most. Less kitchen time equals time for a sunset stroll through our local gardens or a bike ride through the woods. We embrace being empty nesters for nights such as these.
- Roasted Chicken:
- 1 uncooked 2-3 lb chicken, or pre roasted chicken
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
- Fresh rosemary and thyme, a generous amount
- 5-6 Green Onions, Scallions
- Tacos:
- White or yellow corn tortillas
- Leftover chicken breast meat
- 2 small or 1 large tomato, chopped
- ½ avocado, chopped
- ½ yellow onion, finely chopped
- Cilantro, chopped
- Lime
- For Roasted Chicken:
- Preheat oven to 450ºF.
- Rinse and pat chicken dry.
- Rub inside of cavity with salt and pepper and put 5-6 scallions inside.
- Gently pull the skin away from the bird, and using your fingers, push some sprigs of herbs on top of the breasts and on the sides of the chicken.
- Sprinkle salt and pepper all over the outside of the bird, using your hands to cover the entire body.
- Place the chicken in a roasting pan and roast uncovered for 50-60 minutes.
- For Tacos:
- Chop the breasts into bite size pieces.
- Place taco ingredients in bowls and assemble tacos.
We hope you enjoy these two simple meal ideas using roasted chicken as much as we do. If you love these simple meal ideas, be sure to subscribe to our newsletter so you never miss a single recipe. For daily recipe inspiration, like us on Facebook, follow us on Pinterest, and stop by our Google+ Community to see all of the amazing recipes our community members are sharing. Enjoy!
Related posts:
Orange Chicken Fried Rice Recipe
Chicken Marengo: A Low Sodium 30-Minute Meal
Simple Steak Burrito from Leftovers
Skillet Cilantro Lime Chicken and Rice
5 Sweet and Spicy Chicken Recipes
Santa Fe Turkey Sloppy Joes: A 30-Minute Meal
How to Combine Spices to Make Perfect Chicken
Sloppy Dogs Recipe with Leftover Sloppy Joes
Comments