a v. good roast chicken
hi friends, lovers + people probably related to me —
97 — whew, it’s been a busy couple of weeks & will continue to be — didn’t really think through that the whole saying yes to everything would mean that it was all back to back to back. tired but alive & honestly, v. grateful for all these ~things~
somewhat thriving on having an overbooked schedule bc that 22 year old post-grad me who felt v. sad & alone couldn’t really picture this kind of life
(not) not engagement chicken
this chicken is the chicken you make when you want a nice leisurely dinner on a sunday evening with some friends, to roast a couple for when you’re having a lot of people over, for that new lover, the old one and everything in between. it’s an always chicken, a forever chicken. good for everything in life. the whole of it. plus it makes great leftovers. this goes well with a fennel + provolone + crushed olive salad & some french fries w/ aioli & hot sauce or a lemony arugula shallot + radish salad with lots of good bread. not to mention plenty of skin contact + bright white & rosé wine.
ingredients
whole chicken
olive oil
butter
paprika
chili flake
tomato paste
garlic
apple cider vinegar
chili powder
cumin
salt & pepper
fennel seed
oregano
steps
1st you get out like two sticks of butter (salted of course, kerrygold preferably), soften a bit in the microwave, add a generous amount of all your spices — crushing the fennel seeds with a rolling pin or pan first (if you have a mortar & pestle it’d be nice to break it out for this). then add a shit ton of grated garlic ( like 7-8 large cloves plz), add lil tomato paste (this adds a smidgen of sweetness & help gets the chicken a nice burnished color). then add a splash of olive oil, a splash of apple cider vinegar & plenty of salt & pepper. preheat the oven to 400.
2nd you take out your chicken it should be about 4 pounds, place in a rimmed sheet pan and thoroughly pat dry. next rub the spice mixture all over the chicken, really getting in all the lil nooks & crannies. roast in the oven at 400 for 30 minutes, then drop the temperature down to 325 — baste it occasionally over the next 2-2.5 hours we are looking not for crispy skin but for an insanely tender & flavorful chicken.
3rd while the chicken is roasting prep your sides whatever they are + tidy a bit. 2.5ish hours later your chicken is definitely done its a deep burnished color, the legs feel like you can just pull them off. take out the chicken & let rest a lil before carving. once carved, spoon some of the pan drippings over it + serve.
4th eat the chicken, savoring it + staying up too late talking & drinking wine.
particularly good things i consumed recently
big bear + la — from the mountains with their long walks, sharp air, leisurely dayz & cozy vodka pasta filled nights, all the dogs, & a fire table?!, to the crispyest potatoes, best espresso martini, the are you industry chicken, new tattoos, more long walks + so much natural wine. thank you em + kate ♥️
if you want a nice trifecta of v. good books to read right in a row or sprinkle through out your tbr list — i really recommend: tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow, central places, & bliss montage
mom’s birthday — for which the whole famdamnily gathered, a cozy weekend of food, togetherness & jersey boys. thank you bren, bridge, megz, moll moll, friar, & dad for helping make it happen ♥️1
catching up with megan @ blackberry market2 + following it up with a lil cheese sampling & window shopping, the ideal way to spend a saturday morning
the perfect quiet weeknight hang with kiera — snacks, wine, deliciously cheap burritos, & huck snugs
i would like this dress & these shoes so that i can look like an american girl doll this spring. also eyeing this top & this top for some chill cool girl vibes, maybe with these sunnies. also these pants bc i do work in an office and i should probably look like a career woman once in awhile — a working girl re-watch is definitely in order to help with that haha
brunch w/ janel @ lula (delicious as always, order potatoes for the table) + a leisurely walk afterwards that included vintage stores & finding the perfect jeans — another ideal saturday morning
currently consuming
an early saturday morning with friar + then a nice run
as always,
mk
yes of course there was also los & law + order, providence basketball and irish dance — don’t worry
the place we ran into each other all those years ago - an ig dm that sparked a real friendship