Home-Cooked: Baked Chicken with Vegetables

This was something that I've done earlier this year & have been baking the same all this while. Since I've some time to post, I thought I'll just share this with all my blog readers! I've actually shared it with my FB friends & have sent out the recipe to some friends who just want to cook something simple & nutritious for themselves :)

Ingredients:
Pieces of chicken [up to you how many pieces & how large each piece is; I would recommend having the chicken pieces to be 1/8 of the whole chicken as it’ll cook faster than a whole chicken]
1 ½ cup pumpkins, macedoine/large-diced
½ cup baby carrots/carrots, macedoine/large-diced
1-2 sticks celery, ‘roll-cut’
¾ cup potatoes, macedoine/large-diced
2 cloves of garlic, peeled & crushed
1-2 shallots, peeled & crushed
3 tbsp water

Seasoning:
1 tbsp cooking oil/olive oil
1 ½ tsp chopped basil [I used dry basil/herbs]
1 ½ tsp chopped parsley [I used dry parsley/herbs]
Salt, to taste
Ground White/Black Pepper, to taste
1 tbsp butter

Equipment:
Electric oven
Non-stick baking pan
Aluminum foil
Tablespoon/kitchen tongs

Side note:
http://vegetabelecuttingstyle.blogspot.com/2011/11/cutting-styles-these-are-cutting-styles.html

A. Marinating the chicken
1. Wash the chicken pieces under running tap water.
2. Drain the chicken pieces & place it in a bowl/chopping board.
3. Gently cut the pieces of chicken to make slight ‘incisions’ on each piece of chicken. [This will allow you to roughly determine if the chicken is cooked or not later as well as allows greater absorption of the seasoning]
4. Sprinkle a pinch of salt & some pepper on the pieces of chicken.
5. With your hands, rub the salt & pepper onto the pieces of chicken.
6. Sprinkle ½ tsp of basil, ½ tsp of parsley onto the pieces of chicken.
7. With your hands, gently dab the herbs onto the pieces of chicken.
8. Allow the chicken pieces to “rest” & be marinated for at least 10-15 minutes.

B. Seasoning the vegetables
1. Lay the baking pan with aluminum foil. [I do this to avoid washing a heavily greased pan. It’s easier to clean on the overall as well]
2. Place all the vegetables onto the pan; random is good!
3. Drizzle cooking/olive oil onto the vegetables.
4. Sprinkle a pinch of salt & some pepper onto the vegetables.
5. Sprinkle 1 tsp of basil, 1 tsp of parsley onto the vegetables.
6. Using the spoon/kitchen tongs, toss the vegetables & its seasoning to ensure all vegetables are well-coated with the seasoning. [You could use your hands as well if you’re not too fussy]
7. Pour the 3 tbsp of water onto the vegetable mix.

C. Baking the chicken with the vegetables
1. Cover the baking pan with an aluminum foil.
2. Bake the vegetables at 200°C for 10 minutes or until the vegetables are moderately soft/half-cooked. [depends on how soft your prefer]
3. Remove the pan from the oven & remove the aluminum foil.
4. Place the pieces of chicken on top of the vegetables.
5. Cover the baking pan with the aluminum foil again.
6. Bake the vegetables & chicken pieces at 200°C for 20 minutes or until the chicken pieces are fully cooked. [The incisions on the chicken should have “opened like an open-wound” or you could use a fork/knife to poke through the chicken pieces. If the fork/knife could fully go through the chicken pieces, the chicken is cooked. If not, you’ll need to cook it longer; it depends on the size of your pieces of chicken]
7. Once the chicken pieces are cooked, remove the aluminum foil cover.
8. Brush each piece of chicken with some butter.
9. Bake just the top of the chicken for another 10 minutes, turning the pan to ensure the chicken skin is evenly roasted ‘til golden brown & crispy.
Optional: Add more water (1 tbsp at a time) onto the vegetables in case it burns or becomes too dry for your liking.
10. Remove the pan from the oven & serve hot with a side of rice or pasta!

Bon Apetit!

Note: Coming up next, PerutBesi's Mango Chicken (fresh from the oven - it's still baking now!!)


Chickenlicious,