Recent phone conversation with my dad:
My Dad: What are you up to?
Me: Just roasting a chicken.
My Dad: Ohhhh, who’s coming over?
Me: Um… myself?
My Dad: You’re roasting an entire chicken for yourself???
Me: Well, I’ll have leftovers for days and I can make so many different dishes from it. Read: I’m not eating it all in one sitting.
My Dad: Ohhh, you’re so smart! I’ve raised a genius of a daughter, which is why you’re my favorite child!
OBVIOUSLY kidding about the last sentence 
So yes, I roasted a chicken and, shockingly, it was my first time (gasp!). I knew I would have leftovers for the entire week which I added to salads, sandwiches, and even made a chicken salad out of it (more on that below). I’ve been all over the place lately, running in and out of my apartment and bouncing around for my different jobs, all while trying to maintain a social life and see my friends and family as much as possible. So I’ve been trying to have some decent food options waiting for me when I get home. Because if I don’t, I’m 100% okay with eating ice cream and or potato chips or popcorn for dinner even though I know it’s not 100% okay to do
First up, let’s chat about the roast chicken.
The flavors were inspired by this Honey-and-Lemon-Glazed Roast Chicken recipe from Food and Wine. The original recipe called for three 3-pound chickens, but I ended up using about a 5(ish) pounder.
Honey-and-Lemon-Glazed Roast Chicken
Adapted from Food and Wine
Print this recipe!
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• salt
• 4 rosemary sprigs
• 6 garlic cloves, quartered
• 1 lemon, cut quartered
Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.
In a small bowl, combine the honey, lemon juice, and soy sauce and set aside.
Place the chicken on a large rimmed baking sheet and tuck the wing tips underneath. Season the cavity of the chicken with salt and stuff with the rosemary, quartered garlic cloves, and lemon wedges.
Brush about two-thirds of the glaze over the chicken and season with salt. Roast in the middle of the oven for about 30 minutes.
Reduce the temperature to 325 degrees and rotate the chicken in the pan while brushing the rest of the glaze over. Roast for an additional 45 minutes until the juices run clear when the thighs are pierced.
Transfer to a carving board to allow the chicken to cool and settle before carving.
The soy sauce definitely crisps the skin (at first glance, I was afraid a bit too much!) but it actually turned out wonderfully. The meat was perfectly cooked and moist with refreshing and light hints of lemon and rosemary. Perfecto!
Now, once you’ve completed cooking the chicken, you can either enjoy it as is, which I did the first night, or create a multitude of dishes using the leftovers. The following day, once the leftovers had sat in the fridge overnight, I decided to make a chicken salad. You could easily use a store-bought rotisserie chicken for this if you don’t want to roast your own. But I don’t see why you wouldn’t because it doesn’t take too much time. But then again, I’m single without any children, so I guess my calendar looks a little different than some people’s
Chicken Salad with Cucumber and Red Pepper
Adapted from Food and Wine
Print this recipe!
• 1 cucumber, diced
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 1/2 cup chopped red onion (more or less depending on your own tastes)
• about 2 cups of chicken, diced
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1 teaspoon ground mustard
• 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise
• Salt and pepper to taste
This chicken salad recipe is so, so simple and can be tossed together in a matter of minutes. It’s also a great dish to quickly make and pair with crackers if you have last-minute summer guests coming over and need something to nibble on.
First, start by combining the cucumbers, red pepper, diced chicken, and onion into a small mixing bowl.
Add in the mayo,
followed by the ground mustard and garlic salt. Then, using a fork, gently blend all of the ingredients together.
Let chill in the refrigerator for a couple hours before serving.
This chicken salad can be enjoyed in a number of ways including on a sandwich or in a salad. I even ate it alone, to be honest, at some points.
What are some staples or quick recipes you like to have on-hand when life gets busy?
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Speaking of quick recipes, check out my Beef, Shiitake, and Snow Pea Stir-Fry recipe featured on The Mushroom Channel‘s blog last week! What the YUM!
[Chels]
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I absolutely love roast chicken! And that chicken salad utilizing the leftovers sounds delicious.
http://chicgeekery.blogspot.com/
I love roast chicken, that recipe look so yummy. And the chicken salad looks great too, I really like the idea of using cucmbers in it for crunch (instead of the usual celery)
I should totally start doing this! Having all that extra chicken on hand would be super helpful once I have the peanut! I just tried my hand at a mayo-less chicken salad this weekend. It turned out pretty well but needs a few tweeks. Congrats on the feature!
You make roasting a chicken look very easy and I’m tempted to try!
My go to meal for when I want something healthy but quick consists of a random mix (depending what I have) of canned white beans or kidney beans, veggies (either frozen or fresh) all sauteed in a pan and seasoned with some combo of the following spices: turmeric, chili powder, paprika, cinnamon, black pepper, cumin, and/or oregano. Then I throw it in a bowl and chow down! Sometimes I’ll throw themix over quick-cooking brown rice. I like it cause it’s low-fat, high in flavor and nutrients, but low in salt, and of course yummy, fast and easy!
I am terrible and always buy them from the store (you really can have some many meals out of it! You made this look really easy and as though I should be doing it at home!
I love roasting chicken (yes, even for myself) for the same reasons you said above: I can eat it for days and use it in so many other things. Pasta is always my easy, go-to meals. And recently it’s been pasta salad!
What a great idea! I’ve always wanted to roast a chicken to have for leftovers throughout the week, but I thought it would be hard. This looks really easy and delicious!
I am in love (and I mean, in love) with the gorgeous roasted chicken skin! Whenever I’m feeling lazy, I pick up a roasted chicken at the store to have a healthier lazy meal but kudos to you for roasting the chicken ahead of time!
LOVE that shot of the rosemary!
Yumm! Roasting a whole chicken is definitely on my to-do list! Question though: do you keep it on the bone or tear it off when refrigerating? I feel like it would take a lot of space bone-in, but that it’d dry up off the bone…
This recipe looks yummy! Hey, I just introduced “Martha Mondays” on my site, Ducks ‘n a Row, and I mentioned your website with a link.
http://www.ducksnarow.com/2011/07/introducing-martha-mondays.html
Hope you get some hits from it!
Haha your dad sounds like my dad when I make…just about anything. He’s always a bit confused as to why I cook so much just for myself. This is definitely a GENIUS idea though!
Check out that glaze! I often roast whole chickens for me and my husband. The leftover possibilities are endless!
When I ate meat, I looooved how far a roast chicken would go! It’s always great to have such versatile leftovers on hand.
I love roasting chicken! I would have loved to see you write about how you carved it, though… I always have such a hard time with that part! I feel like tons of chicken always ends up getting tossed… which makes me sad
Any words of wisdom?
Yummie, your chicken salad with cucumber looks delicious, love the combination of textures…perfect for Summer.
Hope you are having a great week
I’m not normally a fan of cucumbers, but this sounds awesome!
I need to do this. Even though there’s just 2 of us, I know we can use the leftovers in so many ways.