So, a funny thing happened the other week.
In attempt to research some great recipes for those who work out of the home, I stumbled upon Gwyneth Paltrow’s 10 hour chicken (thanks Molly!). It sounded incredible. Minimal ingredients and fresh flavors slowly roasting away in the oven all day while you’re busy at the office. Couldn’t be easier.
Well, in posting a teaser on Facebook I immediately was responded with comments like “wait – you’d leave your oven on while not at home?”
Um… all the time. Is that weird?
Quickly I found out that yes, it is. In an abundance of comments only one other thought like me and Gwen. We all know she isn’t sitting at home for 10 hours straight.
So, I’m going have to rethink my approach here in regards to this recipe. It doesn’t change how delicious it is, that’s for sure. Yet it does change the entire thought process behind it. If taking the risk with the oven isn’t your thing, then view this as the perfect lazy at home all day in sweats type of recipe.
Either way, you can’t go wrong. M pretty much wanted to marry me all over again when we had it. Nailed it.
- 1 whole chicken, roughly 5 lbs, washed and dried.
- 2 lemons cut in half
- sea salt
- freshly ground pepper
- 4 garlic cloves
- 5 branches of fresh thyme
- couple handfuls of potatoes
- 2 onions sliced up
- 4 large carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks
- Preheat oven to 200 degrees.
- Grab a large roasting tray and throw in your potatoes, carrots, and onions.
- Place the chicken on top, breast side down. Salt & pepper the entire tray generously.
- Squeeze the lemon all over and then stuff them in the cavity along with the garlic cloves and thyme.
- Cover the try tightly with foil. Into the oven it goes for 9 & 1/2 hours.
- Remove foil. At this point Gwen says to flip the chicken and then roast for another 20-25 minutes at 425 degrees. The roasting at a higher temp part is definitely needed but it's not necessary to flip the chicken. I've made it twice, once flipped (the chicken came totally apart) and once not. Both were delicious, one way was just prettier.
Oh and if you want to go a bit above and beyond, a homemade gravy from the stock the recipe yields can be found here. It was heavenly.