There’s a scrumptious scent of aromatics and herbs wafting through the kitchen. Soon you’ll have a glorious dish of roasted chicken layered with herbs and nestled with sweet carrots, savory shallots and onions along with a pop of citrus.
On a typical Easter, there’s a ham in my fridge ready for a glaze. But in keeping with social distancing and limiting time out of the house, picking up a ham probably doesn’t fall into the essential trip category. So instead, I’m opting for roasted chicken this holiday. In looking back through family recipes I recalled most Easter celebrations with my Grandparents you would find a chicken roasting in the oven – not a ham. So it seems the perfect time to look to some of the women in my life for inspiration.
This dish is layered with the delectable scent of herbs including parsley sage, rosemary, thyme and bay leaves plus a touch of lemon. Roast the chicken with onions, shallots and carrots and serve it with a silky sauce, layered with pan drippings, aged balsamic vinegar and rich chicken stock.
It’s a great use of pantry staples. Dried herbs are put to use along with packaged chicken stock and chicken is most always in my freezer. Lemons and carrots keep well in the fridge and it’s always good to have onions and shallots on hand.
If you don’t have a good aged balsamic vinegar you can substitute with red wine vinegar, port or a Pinot Noir. And if you only have onions in the pantry and no shallots, no worries just use onions.
There are several steps to this dish but none are particularly complicated. Since it’s a special weekend whip up a batch of mashed potatoes, top with the roasted chicken and drizzle with the luscious sauce. Now you’ve got a delicious alternative for Easter dinner – or any dinner!
Savory Herb Roasted Chicken with Balsamic Sauce
2 pounds bone-in, chicken breasts, preferably with skin
1-½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
¾ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper, divided
1-½ teaspoons dried parsley, divided
1-¼ teaspoons dried thyme, divided
1 teaspoon dried sage, divided
1-½ teaspoons rosemary, divided
1 lemon, sliced thin
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 bunch small carrots, about 7 to 8, scrubbed and cut into 2” pieces
1 medium sweet onion, sliced thin
1 large shallot, sliced thin
2 bay leaves
¼ cup aged balsamic vinegar or port
6 tablespoons butter
6 tablespoons flour
2-¼ cups chicken stock
Season the chicken with 1 teaspoon of the kosher salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper, covering all sides. Whisk together 1 teaspoon of the parsley, ¾ teaspoon thyme, ¾ teaspoon sage and 1 teaspoon of the rosemary. Sprinkle over all sides of the chicken. Cover and refrigerate 2 to 4 hours or overnight.
When you’re ready to roast, remove the chicken from the refrigerator and let it rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
Toss the carrots, onions and shallots with 3 tablespoons of the olive oil, the remaining ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, ½ teaspoon of parsley, ¼ teaspoon thyme, ¼ teaspoon sage and ½ teaspoon rosemary.
Place the slices of lemon in the bottom of a roasting pan that has been lightly sprayed with a cooking spray. Place the chicken on top of the lemon and spread the vegetables in and around the chicken.
Nestle the bay leaves into the vegetables and drizzle the remaining olive oil over the top of the chicken.
Roast in a 425-degree oven until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165-degrees and the juices run clear, about 45 to 50 minutes.
Transfer the chicken and vegetables to a platter using a slotted spoon and cover with foil to rest while you make the sauce.
Place the roasting pan over medium heat and add the balsamic vinegar to the pan drippings. Continue cooking until the vinegar and drippings are reduced slightly, about 5 minutes.
Add the butter, whisking it into the drippings and vinegar.
Once the butter has melted, whisk in the flour, about 2 tablespoons at a time. Cook for 2 minutes, whisking frequently.
Pour in the chicken stock and whisk until smooth. Reduce the heat to medium-low heat and continue cooking until the sauce has thickened, about 5 to 7 minutes.
Serves 2 to 4.
Many bone-in chicken breasts are quite large and perfect for hearty appetites but feel free to carve portions for more servings.
Savory Herb Roasted Chicken with Balsamic Sauce
Equipment
- Small roasting pan
- Meat thermometer
Ingredients
- 2 pounds bone-in, chicken breasts, preferably with skin on
- 1-½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- ¾ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper, divided
- 1-½ teaspoons dried parsley, divided
- 1-¼ teaspoons dried thyme, divided
- 1 teaspoon dried sage, divided
- 1-½ teaspoons rosemary, divided
- 1-½ teaspoons rosemary, divided
- 1 lemon, sliced thin
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 bunch small carrots, about 7 to 8, scrubbed and cut into 2” pieces
- 1 medium sweet onion, sliced thin
- 1 large shallot, sliced thin
- 2 bay leaves
- ¼ cup aged balsamic vinegar or port
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 6 tablespoons flour
- 2-¼ cups chicken stock
Instructions
- Season the chicken with 1 teaspoon of the kosher salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper, covering all sides.
- Whisk together 1 teaspoon of the parsley, ¾ teaspoon thyme, ¾ teaspoon sage and 1 teaspoon of the rosemary. Sprinkle over all sides of the chicken. Cover and refrigerate 2 to 4 hours or overnight.
- When you’re ready to roast, remove the chicken from the refrigerator and let it rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 425-degrees.
- Toss the carrots, onions and shallots with 3 tablespoons of the olive oil, the remaining ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, ½ teaspoon of parsley, ¼ teaspoon thyme, ¼ teaspoon sage and ½ teaspoon rosemary.
- Place the slices of lemon in the bottom of a roasting pan that has been lightly sprayed with a cooking spray. Place the chicken on top of the lemon and spread the vegetables in and around the chicken. Nestle the bay leaves into the vegetables and drizzle the remaining olive oil over the top of the chicken.
- Roast in a 425-degree oven until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165-degrees and the juices run clear, about 45 to 50 minutes.
- Transfer the chicken and vegetables to a platter using a slotted spoon and cover with foil to rest while you make the sauce.
- Place the roasting pan over medium heat and add the balsamic vinegar to the pan drippings. Continue cooking until the vinegar and drippings are reduced slightly, about 5 minutes.
- Add the butter, whisking it into the drippings and vinegar. Once the butter has melted, whisk in the flour, about 2 tablespoons at a time. Cook for 2 minutes, whisking frequently.
- Pour in the chicken stock and whisk until smooth. Reduce the heat to medium-low heat and continue cooking until the sauce has thickened, about 5 to 7 minutes.
- Many bone-in chicken breasts are quite large and perfect for hearty appetites but feel free to carve portions for more servings.
