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Roasted Chicken in a Bundt Pan

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Have you ever decided to spend just a couple of minutes on instagram before bed, and then somehow you are led down a rabbit hole of pictures and then realized it’s been 45 minutes and you’re staring at some weird pictures from a friend of a friend, and wonder what in the heck your friends are into?  And it’s way past your bedtime?  And you can’t unseen what you’ve just seen?  Darn you instagram, darn you!  Okay, I digress.  Anyways, if you’ve never experienced that, you’ve got much more self-control than I, and I applaud you for your efforts.  By the way, I’m working on weaning myself off of social media, especially before I start winding down in the evening and getting ready to go to sleep.  However, as a blogger, amateur photographer and social media coordinator for my gym, it’s proving to be somewhat difficult.

In addition to following my friends, fellow food bloggers, CrossFit related pages, manbunmonday (just look it up, trust me ladies you’ll thank me), and fashion, I also follow some more mainstream instagram pages like Food and Wine.  I love their pictures and short cooking video tips.  One of their more recent videos was a tutorial on how to roast chicken in a bundt pan.  After watching the video, I wondered how I had never heard of this cooking technique before.  I immediately set out to try it, and discovered that it’s a total game changer.  Now I’m excited to share this method for roasting chicken with you.

I’m sure some of you are wondering what could possibly be a benefit to roasting chicken in a tool meant for baking angel food cake?  Well, I’m here to rock your world.  Okay, may not exactly rock your world, but at least offset your center of balance with a slight breeze.

Roasting chicken in a bundt pan allows the skin to get crispy on all sides, leaving you with a crispy flaky skin on the outside and moist and tender meat on the inside.  Adding vegetables to the bundt pan makes this a one pot meal that’s easy to prep and cook.

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This chicken has gotten rave reviews, and people are pleasantly surprised by the text and flavor.  I’d love for you guys to try it out.  It may be become your new favorite way of roasting chicken.  I’d love to hear your experience in using this technique.  Please leave your results in the comments below!

Roasted Chicken in a Bundt Pan

Ingredients:

  • 3 1/2 – 4 pound whole chicken, neck and giblets removed
  • 1 – 1 1/2 pounds new potatoes, quartered
  • 1/2 large onion, roughly chopped
  • 1 lemon
  • 3 tablespoons cooking fat (i.e., olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil)
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic (approximately 5 cloves)
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

Instructions:

  1. Rinse chicken and pat dry with paper towels.
  2. Place the chicken on a paper lined plate and allow the chicken to come to room temperature, approximately 1 hour (this helps the chicken to cook evenly, and also helps the skin get even more crispy).
  3. 15 minutes before the chicken is ready, preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
  4. In a small bowl, mix together the thyme, oregano, basil, black pepper, paprika, cumin, cayenne pepper (if using), 1 1/2 teaspoon of salt (reserving 1/2 teaspoon salt), 3/4 teaspoon black pepper (reserving 1/4 teaspoon black pepper) minced garlic and cooking fat to form a smooth paste.
  5. In a medium size bowl add the quartered new potatoes and the roughly chopped onion.  Add 1 tablespoon of cooking fat, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt and remaining 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper to the bowl and toss the vegetables to coat.
  6. Rub the spice paste all over the front and back of the chicken and underneath the skin as well, making sure that the entire chicken is fully coated.
  7. Cut the lemon in half and place the halves into the bird cavity.
  8. Place a bundt pan next to the chicken.  Take a sheet of foil, fold it in half, and cover the hole in the center of the bundt pan with the foil so that the juices from the bird don’t drip through the hole while the chicken is roasting in the oven.
  9. Here is where you have two options.  If you have a larger bundt pan, evenly distribute the vegetables in the bottom of the bundt pan.  Then place the chicken on top in the center of the bundt pan, making sure that the foil covering the center stays in place.  If you have a smaller bundt pan, place the chicken over the center of the bundt pan, with the chicken cavity over the middle piece so that the chicken is anchored.  Then evenly distribute the potatoes and onions around the bird.  Since a smaller bundt pan means a shorter center, you’ll need to place the chicken in the bundt pan before the vegetables or you may have difficulty keeping the bird upright.
  10. Place the bundt pan with the chicken in the oven, and roast for 75-90 minutes until the chicken is done (the chicken is done when the breast reaches and internal temperature of about 165 degrees  and the thighs reach an internal temperature of about 180 degrees).
  11. Remove chicken from oven and let rest for several minutes before cutting into it.  Serve the roasted chicken with the potatoes and onions.


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Honey, Lime and Garlic Chicken Wings

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Honey. Check. Lime. Check.  Garlic.  Check.  The results; a marinade for chicken wings that results in a sweet and spicy dish with just a hint of heat from the addition of red pepper flakes.

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I went to the grocery store a couple of weeks ago looking for new salad dressings to try out.  Sometimes I get into a food rut, and I wanted to branch out from my usual go to salad dressing of extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar.  Unfortunately, most of the store bought dressing options included ingredients that I don’t consume on a regular basis as part of a Paleo/Primal/clean eating diet, such as soybean and canola oil, soy sauce and cane sugar.  However, several of the ingredients in the salad dressings; specifically honey, sesame oil, and garlic, peaked my interest, and gave me the idea to create a recipe for chicken marinade using those ingredients as part of the marinade recipe. After a couple of tweaks to the recipe and some trial and error, the end result is this delicious recipe for Honey, Lime and Garlic Chicken Wings.  Enjoy!

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Honey, Lime and Garlic Chicken Wings Servings: serves 4-6

Ingredients:

  • 3 pounds of chicken wings
  • 1/4 cup sesame oil
  • 1/4 cup coconut aminos
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic (approximately 3 large cloves)
  • 1 teaspoon dried cilantro
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Instructions:

  1. Place the chicken wings in a large bowl.  Sprinkle sea salt and pepper on the chicken wings, and toss to evenly coat.
  2. Place the chicken wings in a large resealable bag.
  3. Place the remaining ingredients in a medium size bowl, and whisk  thoroughly to combine.
  4. Pour the marinade mixture over the chicken to coat and seal the bag tightly (making sure to remove as much of the air from the bag as possible before sealing).
  5. Refrigerate the marinated chicken for 4-6 hours (can refrigerate overnight).
  6. To cook the chicken, preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
  7. Line a baking sheet with aluminium foil.  Place a cooling rack over the aluminum foil.
  8. Place the chicken wings in a single layer on the cooling rack.
  9. Bake the chicken in the oven for 25 minutes.
  10. After 25 minutes, remove the chicken from the oven, flip over, and place back in the oven.
  11. Continue cooking the chicken wings until wings are cooked through, approximately 25 minutes more.


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Creamy Roasted Cauliflower and Garlic Soup with Sausage, Bacon and Kale

Now that colder weather has arrived, I’m in the mood for foods that make me feel warm and cozy.  I absolutely hate the cold, and wish I could live in pajamas and warm fuzzy bathrobes all day (fuzzy bathrobes are the best kind of bathrobes, just sayin’).  While pajamas and bathrobes are currently not part of the dress code at my job, changing the dress code at work is one of my top priorities 😉  Until then, drinking hot tea at work to keep my hands (and body) warm will have to do, along with wrapping myself in warm blankets and ignoring the stares of fellow co-workers when I’m wrapped up in my blanket like I burrito.  But I digress.

 This recipe for cauliflower soup is sure to keep you warm and cozy on a cool fall/winter evening.  It’s packed full of flavor (you’ll just have to trust me on this one), and the addition of bacon grease (crazy, I know) takes it to another level entirely!

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This recipe is a fan favorite among friends, and is recipe I like to make for anyone, regardless of whether they follow a Paleo/gluten-free lifestyle.

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You may get words of love and adoration from friends and family after you make this recipe for them.  If you don’t, I hope they at least say thank you for the flavor party that is sure to be happening in their mouths.

If you try out this recipe, please let me know what you think.  I’d love to read your feedback!  What are some things you like to do to keep you warm during the cold season?

Creamy Roasted Cauliflower and Garlic Soup with Sausage, Bacon and Kale

Servings: serves 6-8

Ingredients (for the sausage):

  • 1 pound ground pork
  • 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons dried sage
  • 1 teaspoon fennel seeds, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

Ingredients (for the soup):

  • 1 large head of cauliflower, chopped into florets
  • 7 cups chicken broth
  • 1 large red onion, roughly chopped
  • 1/2 head of kale, roughly chopped
  • 3-4 slices of bacon, cooked, drained and chopped (reserve 2 tablespoons of bacon grease)
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream (can sub with coconut milk to make dairy-free)
  • 1 head of garlic
  • 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons of cooking fat (lard, avocado oil, butter, ghee, tallow)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions:

For the Sausage:

  1. In a medium bowl, combine all of the ingredients for the sausage until everything has been fully incorporated.
  2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the sausage to the skillet, and cook over medium heat until  sausage has browned and cooked through, approximately 10-12 minutes.  Drain excess fat once the sausage is thoroughly cooked, and then set aside.

 

For the Soup:

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
  2. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
  3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cauliflower and onion.
  4. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of cooking fat onto the cauliflower and onion, and toss to coat.
  5. Place the vegetables on the baking sheet in a single layer.
  6. Trim the top off the head of garlic.  Place the garlic on a small piece of aluminum foil.  Pour two teaspoons of cooking fat on top of the garlic.  Wrap the foil around the garlic so that it is completely sealed.
  7. Place the garlic wrapped in foil on a small corner of the baking sheet.
  8. Roast the cauliflower, onions and garlic in the oven for approximately 1 hour until they have softened, (you should be able to pierce the roasted vegetables easily with a fork).  Toss the cauliflower and onions halfway the cooking process.  Once the cauliflower, onions and garlic have finished roasting, remove the baking sheet from the oven.
  9. Allow the roasted garlic to cool, and then peel once you are able to safely handle it.
  10. Place a large cooking pot on the stove.  Pour the roasted cauliflower and onion into the pot, and then add 7 cups of chicken broth.
  11. Bring the mixture to a boil, and then reduce heat to medium low, letting the vegetables simmer in the chicken broth for approximately 30 minutes.
  12. Turn the stove off, and pour the roasted vegetables, chicken broth and peeled roasted garlic into a vitamix, and puree until smooth, approximately 2-3 minutes depending on your preference level.  If you don’t have a vitamix, a large high powered food processor should work.
  13. After the mixture has  pureed, pour the mixture back into the large cooking pot.
  14. Place the pot back on the stove, and reheat the pot using medium heat.  To the pot, add the heavy cream, sea salt, thyme, oregano, paprika, pepper, sausage, bacon, kale and bacon grease and stir until all the ingredients in the mixture are fully incorporated.
  15. Cook the soup over medium heat for 8-10 minutes.
  16. serve immediately and enjoy!

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