Roasted Chicken and Brussels Sprouts with Egg Noodles in Herb Pan Sauce
Why should we make our own roasted chicken when it is easy grab-and-go from Costco or your local supermarket? It is the best way to guarantee that the skin will be crispy and the meat moist, along with being able to use the drippings of fat and juices to make a great pan sauce. I recommend buying organic chickens for better taste, and meat devoid of antibiotics, hormone disrupting chemicals, and reduced risk of bacterial contamination. As for all recipes, read in advance and in its entirety before starting, so you can plan appropriately.
Tweaked from americastestkitchen. A subscription to this website is worthwhile.
Serves 4.
Roasted Chicken and Brussels Sprouts and Egg Noodles with Pan Herb Sauce
1 4-pound whole chicken
1-2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp kosher salt, and more for sauce
1 tsp freshly cracked pepper, and more for sauce
Aromatics (1 small shallot, minced and 1 garlic clove, smashed)
1/2-1 cup chicken stock or water (see instructions)
1/2 lemon, juice and zest
1-2 tsp fresh or 1/2 tsp dry herbs (tarragon, rosemary, or thyme or combination)
1-2 tsp Dijon mustard
1-2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed stems, outer layer removed and cut vertically through stems
1-2 Tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp kosher salt
8 grinds of fresh pepper
Thick egg noodles, handful or 1/2-3/4 cup dry per serving
PREPPING CHICKEN: Prep chicken in a clean sink for easy clean-up and to avoid contaminating counters. Drain and remove cavity contents. Rinse with cold water and pat dry, inside and out, with paper towels. Move to a open container and let sit for several hours or overnight in the refrigerator. This process dries out the skin, making it crispier when cooked.
Pre-heat oven to 475 degrees along with an oven safe pan, preferably cast iron, large enough to accommodate your bird. Rub olive oil followed by the kosher salt and pepper on the inside and outside of the bird. Place in the pre-heated pan and roast for 30 minutes. Shut the oven off, being sure to not open the oven. Let chicken remain in oven for another 30 minutes. The safe internal temperature for cooked chicken is 165 degrees. It’s alway best to check the thickest part of the bird with a cooking thermometer.
Remove the chicken from the oven, moving the chicken to a cutting board, covering with foil. Meanwhile, pour drippings into a clear glass container, a gravy separator if available. The fat will settle on the top, the juices on the bottom. You can prepare the pan sauce, Brussel sprouts and pasta while waiting for the chicken to be cool enough to carve.
PREPPING PAN SAUCE: In the same roasting pan, heat 1-2 Tbsp of the fat. Add aromatics, shallot and garlic, and sauté until softened. Add the juices from the chicken and some additional stock for a total of 1 cup. Scrape up all the sucs from the pan. Add fresh herbs and lemon zest. Reduce down until the sauce coats the back of a spoon. Whisk in mustard if you like. Then whisk in butter. Season with salt and pepper. If the flavor is flat, add a squeeze of acid, such as fresh lemon juice.
BRUSSELS: Once the chicken is out of the oven, reheat the oven to 425 degrees. This should only take a few minutes. Coat the cut Brussels in olive oil, and generously sprinkle with salt and pepper and add minced garlic. Mix well. Placed Brussels inside side down in a single layer on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Roast for 20-30 minutes, until browned to your liking.
PASTA: Insure that you have pre-boiled your water and it is well salted. Ten minutes prior to the Brussels are done, start the pasta. When al dente, drain all water and put the pasta back into its pot. Add several generous tablespoons of your pan sauce and mix well.
TO PLATE: Arrange chicken, Brussel sprouts, and pasta. Pour additional sauce onto chicken.
Reduce: by simmering or boiling, thickening and intensifying the flavor of a liquid mixture such as a soup, sauce, wine or juice.
Sucs: a French culinary term, referring to the deposits at the bottom of the pan when sautéing, searing or pan-frying. They add a lot of flavor to the final sauce.
