Staple Roasted Chicken

This deserves a place in your meal prep routine! It’s an amazing juicy combo of sweet grapes, savory onion, tangy lemon, and simple salt and pepper. This minimal effort roast chicken is such a great weeknight dinner + so versatile for leftovers!

Ingredients:

• 1 medium fresh young whole chicken (2-3lbs)

• 1 yellow onion (sliced)

• 1/2 lemon (sliced)

• 3tbsp of white wine (or broth but the wine dissolves the fat and releases the most flavor!)

• 3tbsp water

• 1 cup of halved red/purple grapes

• salt and pepper

Meal Prep Directions:

• Pre-heat oven to 375 and grab a large dutch oven. Remove string from chicken, flip BREAST SIDE down and season with salt/pepper

• Slice your onion and lemon and toss them into the dutch oven, season with salt and pepper. Pile everything into the middle and place the chicken on top (still breast side down) covering as much of the onions/lemon as you can so they don’t burn

• Roast for 20 minutes uncovered. Meanwhile slice the grapes. Take the dutch oven out and carefully lift the chicken out (letting juices run over the onions and lemon) and place the chicken on a plate. Stir wine into the onions/lemons and spread everything out. Add the chicken back in now BREAST SIDE up, season with salt and pepper and roast another 20 minutes uncovered.

• Take the dutch oven out and carefully lift the chicken out (letting juices run over the onions and lemon) and place the chicken on a plate. Stir water into the onions/lemons and spread everything out. Add the chicken back in still BREAST SIDE up, roast another 20 minutes uncovered.

• Take the dutch oven out and carefully lift the chicken out (letting juices run over the onions and lemon) and place the chicken on a plate. Stir grapes into the onions/lemons and spread everything out. Add the chicken back in still BREAST SIDE up, roast another 20 minutes uncovered.

• After this final 20 minutes (should have been in 80 min total) take the dutch oven out and under good lighting stab the thickest part of the leg and make sure the juices run clear (don’t mistake discolored juice with the grape’s juice). Depending on your chicken’s size you may need another 10-20 minutes until juices run clear and top is nicely browned.

• Once juices are clear, let the chicken sit in the dutch oven on the counter for 5 minutes to finish/cool slightly

• Carve and serve with the juicy onion/grape mixture (remove lemons).

*I love pairing this juicy, sweet, savory chicken with a seasonal roasted veggie (you can roast this in a rack below the dutch oven during the remaining 20-30 minutes!) Mashed potatoes or sourdough bread to soak up the juices are also a lovely side dish!

*Be sure to carve all the chicken while it’s still warm (it will come off the bone easier) and save for delicious tender leftovers for wraps, enchiladas, or chicken salad!