Herb Baked Chicken

For many years I didn't eat meat.  My reasons were a combination of several things; farming practices, prices, health reasons, the sound the chicken bones make when they are cracked, the smell of raw meat, and a strong feeling that nothing really needed to die so I could live.  Then I read The Fat Fallacy: The French Diet Secrets to Permanent Weight Loss by Will Clower.  He has a recipe listed in the meal plans and recipes section of his book for a simple baked chicken.

And I began to think chicken might not be so bad because that recipe, in all it's simplicity, looked delicious.  I could imagine exactly how it would taste and I thought about it for days.  I woke up in the middle of the night and thought some more about that chicken recipe.

When I couldn't take it anymore, I justified my "cheating" by explaining to myself that my diet is pretty much the same as many of the Mediterranean diets; lots of fruits and vegetables, good fats, beans and grains.  In fact, my diet nearly reflected the diet Dr. Clower discusses in his book; taking time to enjoy smaller portions of real food and getting some exercise. The only major difference, other than the amount of white sugar, was that they ate some sort of meat or fish at least once a week.  I also decided that if my family was self sustaining in our food practices, we might have chicken once or twice a month.  Right?

So, I drove 20 miles north to a local organic farm and purchased a 5lb cut up chicken.  I drove the 20 miles  back home and recruited my son to clean the bird (I hadn't touched a dead animal in over five years, and I just couldn't bring myself to do it).  He patted it dry and placed it in a 13x9 pan for me.  My son and I followed Dr. Clower's directions exactly, adding the garlic and herbs, salt and pepper.  I reluctantly covered it with foil (it was so colorful and pretty, believe it or not) and put it in the 350F oven.

See?  Isn't that pretty?

An hour and a half later, my whole house smelled so wonderful, so inviting, just like Dr. Clower promised it would.

It looked beautiful and tasted even more amazing than it smelled. It was moist, flavorful, and I couldn't believe how very much I absolutely loved it.  I may have even got a little teary-eyed (but we won't talk about that).

So, thank you, Dr. Clower, for forever corrupting this (now mildly former) vegetarian.  I'd like you to know we eat this chicken at least once a month because it is one of my family's most requested dinners.

Last night we made this chicken with steamed fresh green beans and roasted baby red potatoes (clean the potatoes and poke them with a fork. Place them in a 13x9 pan along with a little olive oil, kosher salt and pepper, and toss them a bit with your hands to coat.  Put the uncovered pan of potatoes in the oven at the same time that the chicken goes in.  They will be ready when the chicken is ready.  Toss some of the roasted garlic from the chicken dish with the potatoes and fork mash them on the plate.)

Herb Baked Chicken

• 1 4-5lb chicken, cut into parts, washed and patted dry
• 1 bulb garlic, cloves separated
• about 1 Tbs kosher salt
• about 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 4-6 sprigs of each: rosemary, sage, bay leaves (I like to add thyme, too)
• 1/2 c. olive oil

Preheat the oven to 350F.
Place the chicken in a 13x9 pan.  Toss the garlic into the pan.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Lay  your herbs over the chicken.  Pour oil over all.  Cover with foil and bake for about 1 1/2 hrs.  Remove the foil  and bake another 10-15 minutes.
Be sure to smear those beautiful roasted garlic cloves either on bread, potatoes, or right back on the chicken. Yum.