A roast dinner with hardly any washing up, what could be better. This dish features chicken, a firm family favourite, and which even in these days of rising costs is still reasonably priced. Read on for more details ...
Ingredients
Serves four
1.5-1.8kg/3lb 5oz - 4lb chicken (free-range or organic, if possible)
olive oil, for roasting
½ swede (rutabaga), peeled and chopped
3 carrots, cut into chunks
2 onions, chopped
100g/3½oz pearl barley
2 chicken stock cubes
500ml/18fl oz hot water
2 garlic cloves, flattened
1 tsp dried thyme
1 head spring greens, shredded
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 240C/220C Fan/Gas 9, or as high as it will go.
2. Put the chicken into a large casserole dish, drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 15 minutes to brown the chicken, then remove from the oven and reduce the temperature to 220C/200C Fan/Gas 7.
3. Transfer the chicken to a plate, then put all the ingredients except the spring greens into the casserole. Lay the chicken on top and cover with the lid.
4. Set the casserole over a high heat for 3-4 minutes, until you hear the liquid in the bottom of the dish start to boil. Transfer to the oven and cook for 40 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through completely.
5. Carefully remove the chicken from the pan with a pair of forks or tongs and set aside to rest for 15-20 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, stir the spring greens into the vegetables and pearl barley, cover with a lid and leave to stand while the chicken rests.
7. Carve the chicken and serve with the vegetables.
Each serving provides
447 kcal, 57g protein, 17g carbohydrate (of which 13g sugars), 14.5g fat (of which 3.5g saturates), 10g fibre and 2.5g salt.
Recipe Tips
i) Take the chicken out of the fridge half an hour before you plan to cook it and pat it dry with kitchen paper.
ii) If you don’t have a large enough lidded casserole to hold the chicken, you can use a roasting tin and cover it tightly with foil.
i) Take the chicken out of the fridge half an hour before you plan to cook it and pat it dry with kitchen paper.
ii) If you don’t have a large enough lidded casserole to hold the chicken, you can use a roasting tin and cover it tightly with foil.
iii) cabbage, kale or spinach could be used if you cannot find any spring greens
Pearl Barley
Is barley with all the bran removed, giving the round, shiny grains a pearlescent white colour. It can be used in soups and stews as a thickener, or to add texture rather than flavour. Growing up I can remember my dear mother used to include it in quite a few meals, especially her tasty stews! Pearl barley is widely used in Japan and countries with cool climates.
Recipe from an original idea here
For readers who may prefer a vegetarian dish, have a look at 'Greengrocers Veggie Hotpot' here
You will find a variety of articles and recipe ideas within this blog, and not all may be suitable for you. If you may have any food allergies, or underlying health issues these must always be taken into account. If you are a diabetic and not sure how certain foods may affect your blood sugars, test is best, i.e. use your meter. If you have any concerns about your health, it is always advisable to consult your doctor or health care team.
All the best Jan
24 comments:
...as a kid, we always had oven roasted chicken on Sundays after church.
Your little Christmas people are very cute!
This looks like a warm and homey meal. Thanks!
Yum!
This is an excellent idea Jan and looks delicious! Love those cute little people also. All the best my friend :)
Never had barley with chicken.
This is one of my favorite ways to eat chicken. OO you are making me hungry. Thanks for sharing this and the recipe too.
Gracias por la receta Linda imagen d del final. Te mando un beso.
Delicious! -Christine cmlk79.blogspot.com
Growing up, chicken was expensive and a rare treat. How times have changed.
When I ate meat I used to make a very similar dish but without the pearl barley. It is completely and utterly delicious and hardly any cleaning up as you say. I enjoyed the vegetables strained and mashed with a huge lump of butter! Naughty but very nice. I know anyone who tries this will love it.
Hope you are keeping warm in this biting cold snap! Debbie
That looks very delicious and nutritious too.
I like those cute little figurines, perfect for winter/Christmas.
I like hot roasted chicken dish. Regarding root vegetables, swede is new to me, and I’m familiar with burdock roots and lotus roots (actually underground stem).
Now that sounds and look delicious.
It sounds delicious. And anything that can be cooked in one pot is a winner for me.
Love the little festive folk. 🎄 Xx
That a great way to cook a chicken! I sometimes eat pearl barley in a stew along with some thyme, bay leaves and rosemary.
Warm regards :-)
Roast chicken is a weekly standard here, yet, when I was growing up, chicken was a treat for Christmas and Easter and rarely at any other time. I remember my mother drawing and plucking the chicken, too.
I love your little Christmas people.
That sounds like a good idea with the barley. It bet it is lovely :-D
Looks like a yummy meal!
The Christmas figurines are cute.
Take care, enjoy your day.
Great for a cold day as today.
God bless.
That looks delicious, especially for winter -- a warm kitchen, warm meal. Love your four little maids!
Wow!
My mouth is watering at the sight of this delicious poultry.
Hugs and greetings.
I should cook that. I don’t have any white meat left over from Thanksgiving for sandwiches. That’s the problem with not cooking. Enjoy your day.
This looks very good. I make my whole chickens in the slow cooker now and this looks like it would work well!
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