Someone needs to turn on the lights

Happy 5773, everybody!  Or rather, the Jewish of us. Rosh Hoshanah is ON, and Yom Kippur is coming up next week. And you know what? You gotta’ eat. At least that’s my understanding as someone who married in, rather than was raised in, the Jewish tradition. Also, I’m pretty sure I’m supposed to be atoning all the time. It can’t hurt, right?

So while you’re righting the wrongs of the previous year, why not enjoy some delicious coconut oil roasted chicken? Perhaps with a side of roasted vegetables, butternut squash salad, and kugel? Why not, indeed.

Since I’m all up in a book deadline right now, I decided to mine my own damn blog for some delicious gluten-free holiday options so the only new recipe I have to offer is a roasted chicken. I know! I’m so lame. However, if you click around you can rediscover the lovely butternut squash salad I made for Thanksgiving last year, and the sweet kugel for Hanukkah. Also, do this thing with the apple where you core it 3/4 of the way down, but not all the way, and fill it up with honey. That’s gonna’ give you a sweet new year, peoples.

I feel I’m roasting vegetables and a chicken every week, but I decided to use coconut oil rather than a butter rub this time and I got a super crispy chicken skin, while staying moist on the inside. Also it’s kind of Paleo, which is on my mind, if not totally on my plate. So here’s how to do that.

Gluten-Free Coconut Oil Roasted Chicken & Vegetables

Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 1 hour and a half

Ingredients

 1 – 5 lb. organic roasted chicken
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, diced
3 garlic cloves, whole
1 lemon, quartered
3 cups organic chicken stock
Coconut oil
1 lb. new potatoes
4 carrots, quartered

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Coat chicken skin, on top as well as underneath, with coconut oil. Place diced garlic underneath chicken skin.  Place three whole garlic cloves and quartered lemon inside chicken cavity.  Pour three cups chicken stock into roasting pan and cover bottom of pan with chopped onion.

3. Roast chicken for approximately an hour and a half, flipping the bird over halfway through cooking time.  Baste chicken periodically with chicken stock.  Add water if necessary.

4. While the chicken is roasting, place potatoes and carrots on a large baking sheet and cover with 1 ½ tablespoons of coconut oil. Lightly salt and pepper.  Add a splash of chicken stock for flavor, if desired. Roast vegetables for 40 minutes on 400 degrees.

5. Using a meat thermometer check after one hour to see if temperature has reached 165 degrees.  Chicken is done when it has reached 165.

6. Allow chicken to rest for 10 minutes after removing from oven, then serve.

Makes: 8 servings