Cast Iron Roasted Lemon Rosemary Chicken
A cast iron skillet. So important in the south, the coveted perfectly seasoned ones are passed down for generations, like the small one I have that reliably makes perfectly crisp golden cornbread every time.
Lodge Cast Iron is made just over the state line in South Pittsburg, Tennessee, about an hour northeast from us. Their National cornbread Festival is held there every spring, and if you don’t have an old family skillet waiting in the cabinet, the factory store is a good place to start. Great for making this roasted lemon rosemary chicken.
For this chicken, I use a large cast iron skillet so there’s plenty of room for the pieces to brown rather than steam. Lemon, rosemary, garlic and shallots roast alongside the chicken, and all those browned bits left behind become the base for a quick white wine pan sauce. Add lemon-parsley rice and you have a meal.
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken – cut into 8 pieces, breasts preferably airline-style
- 4 cloves of garlic – crushed
- 2 lemons – quartered plus zest
- 1 shallot – sliced
- 2 bay leaves
- 3-4 springs rosemary
- 2 TSB olive oil – enough to lightly coat the skillet
Pat the chicken dry and season with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.
Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and add enough oil to lightly coat the bottom. Place the chicken skin-side down and cook, undisturbed, until golden brown. Turn the chicken and add the garlic, lemon, shallot, bay leaf and rosemary around it.
Transfer the skillet to a 350 degree oven and roast until the thickest part reaches 165 degrees.
Transfer the chicken to a platter and discard the rosemary and bay leaf.
Quick Pan Sauce
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 2 tbs heavy cream- room temperature
Bring pan juices to a simmer and over medium-high heat and reduce slightly.
Add the wine and scrap up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Reduce by half.
Add the chicken stock and reduce again until slightly thickened.
Remove from the heat and stir in the room temperature cream.
Strain, if desired.
Never throw away flavor. The fond in your skillet after you cook meat or chicken is the beginning of a great sauce. This is where homemade stock in the freezer really comes into play – it’s on hand and ready when you need it. A little wine, some stock, shallots or garlic, and a finish of cream, butter or fresh herbs from the garden will all turn an ordinary dinner into something special. The basic formula is simple: pan dripping + wine + stock + finish.
Lemon Parsley Rice
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups basmati rice
- Olive oil – enough
- 1 shallot – diced
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Parsley – chopped
- Salt to taste
Lightly coat the bottom of a dutch oven with oil. Sauté the shallots a minute. Add the rice and stir to coat. Add 3 cups os water and simmer until absorbed. Using a fork, add in the zest and parsley while “fluffing” the rice.
Sautéed Zucchini
Ingredients
- 3 zucchini and/or yellow squash – sliced thin
- thyme – chopped
- olive oil – enough
- salt and pepper to taste
Heat a sauté pan and add enough oil to lightly coat the bottom. Sauté squash over medium high heat until browned, flipping as they cook. Add thyme, salt and pepper.
Whatever is blooming in the yard seems to be my current favorite flower obsession. I added another variety of hellebore this year: Tropical sunset honeymoon series lenten rose. It will be fantastic arranged with daffodils, ranunculus and forsythia. I use these little versatile vases for making simple arrangements and keeping cut herbs in the refrigerator. I like the clear glass ones and have them in all different sizes. Cluster them together on a tray for a beautiful table centerpiece.
