Chicken is my go-to protein. I eat it so often that I sometimes worry that I’m going to start to cluck. I tend to eat it one of two ways because, like most of us, I can get in a rut with my cooking. Yet I have found that boredom is rarely good for my health. I eat more when I am not excited about my food. My taste buds keep looking for that “pizzaz” with just one more bite. I wind up feeling full and unsatisfied which pisses me off. Furthermore, the past year and half has kept me skating on the edge of depression. In my experience, boredom and depression feed off each other, making toxic bed fellows. So, any recipe like this one for Roasted Chicken with Red Grapes & Rosemary that gives me a fast, exciting way to cook chicken is something that I am compelled to share.
Type of Chicken Affects Taste
If you’ve wandered the poultry aisle at your local market lately, you have probably noticed that there are A LOT more options than there used to be such as:
- Natural
- Organic
- Air Chilled
- Free Range
- Pasture Raised
The type of chicken that you buy greatly affects its taste. Personally, I think that pasture raised is the most delicious, but it’s not always easy to find. Luckily, there are a couple of great online sites such as:
I love the range of products that they have on offer. As a committed meat eater, I am trying to be more responsible in my choices which is not just about buying ethically raised animals, but also trying to eat more of the whole animal (thus the reason that I use chicken feet in my divine Chicken Broth recipe). I will probably never use a duck beak in anything, but I love that White Oak has them. The only downside to ordering online is that there is A TON of packaging so my work around is to order a lot, and then shop my freezer.
Whole Chicken or Pieces
The original recipe for Roasted Chicken with Red Grapes & Rosemary calls for a whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces. Personally, though I love chicken wings, they didn’t get crispy enough in this recipe for my liking. And I am not a huge fan of the drumsticks. So, in the future, I will substitute a couple of breasts and thighs for the whole chicken. You want about 3.5 – 4 lbs. of meat although you can make more. You will simply need to adjust the cooking time.
Organic Grapes Worth the Money
I try to buy organic as much as possible because I want to support this type of farming. It’s better for our bodies and for the planet. But it can also be much more expensive. This is why I consult the dirty dozen list from EWG of the foods with the most pesticides, and only buy them if I can get organic. Grapes are one of the 12. Thankfully, this time of year, it is easy to get really delicious organic grapes at your local grocery store. The ones from the Simple Truth line at my local Ralphs are divine. I like red grapes best, but you can use green, purple, or a combination if you prefer. Cook’s choice.
So, here you go. I served mine with a yummy salad of bitter greens, feta and the World’s Best Salad Dressing, and roasted artichokes. In the future, however, I would probably add a side of rice to soak up all of those yummy pan drippings….
Roasted Chicken with Red Grapes & Rosemary
Ingredients
- 3.5 - 4 lbs chicken with bone and skin
- 4 tsp salt
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cups red grapes separated into small clusters
- 15-20 peeled garlic cloves about 1 large head
- 1/2 oz fresh rosemary
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°. Take chicken out of the refrigerator and let stand for up to 30 minutes to bring to room temperature. Sprinkle with salt.
- Heat 1 1/2 T of the olive oil in a large overproof skillet until sizzling hot. Add the chicken, skin side down and cook for 10 minutes without moving it. Remove from heat, and place the chicken on a plate.
- Add the grapes, garlic and rosemary to the pan. Stir, scrapping up any browned bits. Place the chicken skin side up back into the pan within and on top of the grapes. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil, and place in the oven.
- Cook for 22-25 minutes depending on the size of your chicken breasts. Take out of the oven. A meat thermometer placed into the thickest part of the breast should read 155°. Let stand for 10 minutes and serve.