chicken

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RECIPE: Whole Roast Chicken for BC Living "From Scratch"

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Whole Roast Chicken
Recipe for BC Living
October 2024

Picking up a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store is convenient, but it’s truly hard to gauge how fresh they actually are. Making a whole chicken from home is far less work than it seems, and then there is the bonus of making homemade chicken broth with the carcass afterwards.  
 
A four-pound chicken can easily feed two people, but even making this solo means you get leftovers which you can turn into chicken salad for sandwiches, or chicken soup with that delicious homemade broth. 
 

INGREDIENTS 

- 3 large carrots, cut in 1-inch pieces (peeled or unpeeled) 

- 1 large onion, cut into 1-inch pieces 
- 1 or 2 Yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces 

- 1 lemon 

- olive oil 

- 1 whole head garlic, sliced in half horizontally  
- 4 lb. whole chicken  
- approx. 10 sprigs of fresh rosemary, thyme, and/or sage (I like using all 3) 

- salt and pepper 
 
Equipment – kitchen thermometer, roasting pan, or some sort of high-sided baking dish 
 
INSTRUCTIONS 
 
Start by preheating the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Note, you may have to take one of the racks out to fit the chicken in properly. 

 

Cut your vegetables and place them in the bottom of a roasting pan, using only one half of the head of garlic (face this down). Drizzle some olive oil over the mix, add some salt and pepper, and a few of whichever fresh herbs you’d like. You can zest the lemon and add that to the mix as well, and then cut the lemon in half and add it in (cut side facing down). 
 
Pat the chicken dry and remove the innards if they were included inside. Drizzle olive oil over the bird, season with salt and pepper and rub in with your hands to get it into all the nooks. Be sure to also do this for the inside and underside of the chicken. 
 
Place the second half of the head of garlic and lemon inside the bird, as well as the sprigs of fresh herbs, and then tie the legs together with twine. 
 
Place the chicken on top of the vegetables and then into the oven uncovered. Cook for 50 minutes and then check with the kitchen thermometer. You want the thighs to be around 175F, and the breasts to be at around 160F – if it’s too low, continue to cook, checking again every 5 mins. If you have a bird bigger than 4 pounds, it will definitely need more time. 
 
When it’s done cooking, take it out and let it rest to help the juices lock in. I usually cover it with tin foil, and then a tea towel for about 15 minutes. 
 
Set the oven to broil and carve off the breasts and take out the veggies. Flip the chicken over into the roasting pan and broil to get the bottom of the chicken nice and crispy. Then carve the rest of the chicken (thighs, drumsticks, etc.). 
 
Don’t forget to save the bones and made a soup stock with the leftovers. 
 
ENJOY! 

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RECIPE: Chicken Shawarma with Fresh BC Greenhouse Vegetables 

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Chicken Shawarma
with Fresh BC Greenhouse Vegetables 
September 2022

Just over a week ago, I helped create a Middle Eastern themed feast with a few of my food blogger friends, using some fresh vegetables from BC Greenhouse.
I had a craving for a pita filled with delicious things, so I picked some turnips (a first), marinated some chicken, chopped some veggies and made a huge platter that everyone dove into.

Most of the prep for this one is done ahead of time, so it’s an easy dish for parties, or feeding a large amount of people!

Ingredients: 
- 2 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs 
 
For the marinade: 
- 3 tbsp olive oil 
- 2 large cloves of garlic, minced 
- 1 tbsp ground cumin 
- 1 tbsp ground coriander 
- 1 tbsp ground cardamom 
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper (optional – this is the heat) 
- 2 tsp smoked paprika 
- salt and pepper 
- juice of one lemon 

Greek Yogurt Sauce: 
- 1 cup full fat Greek yogurt 
- 2 cloves garlic, minced 
- salt and pepper 
- tsp of lemon juice (more to taste/to thin) 
- pinch of cumin (more to taste) 
 
To Serve: 
- pita (your choice of kind) 
- lettuce, shredded 
- tomatoes, roughly chopped 
- cucumbers, chopped 
- pickled turnips (homemade is best and easy) 
- hot sauce (optional) 
- hummus (optional) 
- tahini sauce (optional) 
 
Directions: 
 
Mix the marinade ingredients together and place in a container of bag with the chicken, mixing until it’s completely coated. Let sit in the fridge for 24 hours, occasionally mixing it again. 

To make the sauce, combine all the ingredients in a bowl – adjusting seasoning to taste, and place in the fridge covered until ready to use. 
 
If you’re making the shawarma into a platter, you can pre-chop the lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, turnips if using and place into individual bowls. 
 
To cook the chicken you can either do so on the bbq or in a hot skillet on the stove for about 4 minutes on each side depending on the size of the thighs. 
Once it’s cooked through, let it rest on a plate covered in foil while you prep the platter with the vegetables and sauces. 

Slice the pitas in half or leave them whole, and let your guests choose which fillings they want to fill it with! 
 
Enjoy! 

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CHICKEN & CABBAGE WONTONS 
for BC Living “From Scratch” Column

Everyone is starting to gather again, and the prospect of BBQ parties and park potlucks are super tempting. Finger food where everyone can take their own individual portions is a smart way to go, and sure, you could go to the frozen food section and pick up some generic flavourless appies, but it’s super easy to make some from scratch, and you can put whatever you’d like in them. 
 
These are easy to modify to be vegetarian by switching out the chicken for more veggies or crumbled tofu. And to make it vegan, make another binder to use in lieu of the egg white. The sweet and sour sauce on the side cools them nicely, or you can go for a spicier dipping sauce. 
Plus, you can bake them, so they’re healthier than their fried counterparts. 

 
Makes ~24 (but can be doubled) 

INGREDIENTS 
 
- wonton wrappers 
- 1 chicken breast, cooked and shredded 
- 1 small carrot, peeled and shredded 
- ½ cup cabbage, shredded 
- ¼ cup of water chestnuts, chopped finely 
- 2 green onions, finely diced 
- 1 clove garlic, minced 
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, minced 
- 1 tbsp soy sauce (low sodium) 
- 1 egg white 
- sweet & sour sauce for dipping 
 

INSTRUCTIONS 
 
Finely dice your cooked chicken breast (can pulse in a food processor to make it even easier), and place in a bowl. 
 
Add shredded carrot and cabbage, chopped water chestnuts, green onions, and mix. Then add the garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and egg white, and stir until evenly distributed. 
Preheat the oven to 425 or 450 degrees (if your oven runs hot, choose the lower setting). 
 
Lay out the wonton wrappers and place 2 tsp of the mix into the center. Get a small bowl of water for sealing them and set it next to the wontons. Dip your finger in the water and wet the edges of the wontons, and then roll them into logs, sealing the edge, and pinching the sides until they are closed. 

Repeat until the mix is used up. Cover the wontons as you finish them so they don’t dry out. 
You can also freeze them at this stage by placing them on a parchment paper lined tray and freezing for about 30 mins, and then place in an air-tight freezer bag to bring out when you want to cook them. 
 
Place finished logs on a greased baking sheet, and spray with cooking spray on the top (or lightly brush with oil). 
Bake for 10-15 minutes – you'll have to watch to make sure you don’t burn them, but you want them to be nice and toasty brown, a bit of a bubble and crisp to them. 
 
Plate and serve with dipping sauce – optionally top with some sesame seeds or green onions. 

If cooking from the freezer, they may need some extra time, so use the low setting so the insides have enough time to thaw and heat up, and the outsides can cook properly. 
 
ENJOY! 
 

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