Skillet Apple Roasted Chicken with Veggies

Skillet Apple Roasted Chicken with Veggies

This Apple Roasted Chicken with Veggies is a seriously simple one skillet meal the whole family will love.  What do you do with your leftover sparkling cider?  Inevitably every time I have a party in which wine or champagne will be served, my daughter begs me to pick up some sparkling cider so that she can feel important too.  She drinks a glass or two and then I’m left with a half bottle of cider that by the next day is starting to seriously go flat.  And that’s where this one pot meal comes in.  In my opinion, the flavor of chicken is greatly improved in the presence of some acidity.  In the summer I often make  chicken recipes that are infused with the flavors of citrus.  But when the temperatures plummet I like to turn to tart apples to cut through the richness of the chicken.  The apples and cider in this recipe sort are like the cranberries against the Thanksgiving turkey.  And the whole thing couldn't be simpler to throw together.      

Skillet Apple Roasted Chicken with Veggies

Prep time: 20 min

Cook time:  min

Ingredients for the Chicken

• 3-4 lb whole chicken, rinsed and patted dry
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp dried tarragon
• ½ tsp red pepper flakes
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 ½ cups sparkling cider or apple juice

Ingredients for the Vegetables

• 3 red skin potatoes (cut into large pieces)
• 2 carrots (peeled & cut into large pieces)
• 1 onion (peeled & cut into wedges)
• 1 granny smith apple (cut into wedges)
• 2 cloves of garlic (peeled and sliced)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp dried tarragon
• ½ tsp red pepper flakes
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp of butter, to finish the sauce

Video Tutorial

Instructions

1. In a large bowl toss the chopped vegetables together with the olive oil and spices and set it aside.
2. Just prior to prepping the chicken, preheat the oven to 400°F (or 205 °C) and heat a 12 inch cast iron skillet over a medium heat.
3. Heavily season both the interior and exterior of the chicken with the dried spices, the tie the feet together and tuck the wings back.
4. Add a few tablespoons of olive oil to the preheated skillet then add the seasoned veggies and push them towards the edges of the pan to make room for the chicken.
5. Nestle the chicken into the empty space then pour in the sparkling cider, drizzle on some olive oil to help it brown and bake it for about 1 ½ hours or until the thigh meat reaches an internal temperature of 165 °F  (or 75 °C).
6. When the skillet comes out of the oven, add some fresh herbs if you want and I lift the chicken out of the skillet onto a serving plate to rest for a few minutes.  
7. In the meantime, add a little butter to the veggies and gently stir until the sauce achieves a glossy consistency.  

Notes:  For a larger chicken be sure to increase the cooking time to ensure that the chicken is thoroughly cooked.