Taste of Tuscany: The Best Italian Lemon and Rosemary Chicken Ever

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Italian Lemon and Rosemary Chicken, Chianti, Italy 2013© Credit: Krystal M. Hauserman @MsTravelicious

Don’t let the simple ingredient list fool you. As Mimma might say, this chicken keeps marriages together. Adapted from the Tutti a Tavola cookbook, and featured in A Soul-Satisfying Sojourn to a Tuscan Kitchen. Serve with oven roasted potatoes, sautéed zucchini and a glass of Chianti Classico.

  • 1 small chicken, whole
  • 2 tablespoons very finely minced lemon zest
  • 2 tablespoons very finely minced fresh rosemary leaves
  • 2 tablespoons of sea salt
  • several grinds of black pepper
  • 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 rosemary sprigs
  • lemons cut into large wedges (enough to almost overstuff the chicken)

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Remove the chicken giblets. Rinse the chicken inside and out and pat dry with paper towels. Combine the lemon zest, minced rosemary leaves, sea salt and black pepper. Massage the chicken with the olive oil and the seasoned sea salt mixture. Stuff the chicken with the rosemary sprigs and lemon wedges (no need to truss). Place the chicken on the rack of a roasting pan and roast for 70 to 90 minutes, or until the juices run clear when the thigh is pierced. Let rest before carving.

Taste of Adventure

Taste of Kenya: Pan Roasted Chicken in Whole African Spices

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Savor this fragrant dish featuring African spices like ginger, turmeric, cardamom and cinnamon with a simple green salad and a glass of crisp sauvignon blanc.  Adapted from the Wildfitness Cook Book, and featured in Four Fitness Getaways That Will Change Your Life.

  • 6 chicken drumsticks or 4 chicken breasts, skin on
  • 4 tablespoons of butter, divided
  • 2 teaspoons of ground turmeric
  • 1/4 teaspoon of ground ginger
  • 4 cardamom pods, seeded
  • 1 cinnamon stick, split to release the flavor
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • pinch of ground mace
  • pinch of cayenne pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 bay leaf, crumbled
  • 1 teaspoon mustard seeds, crushed
  • 2 fresh garlic cloves, crushed
  • 5 small onions, sliced

1. Lightly fry the chicken pieces in 2 tablespoons of butter over medium-high heat in a cast iron or heavy aluminum pan (not a non-stick) along with the turmeric and ginger, skin side down, until it turns golden brown.

2. Crush the cardamom seeds and add them to the pan along with the cinnamon stick, cloves, mace, cayenne pepper, black pepper, bay leaf and mustard seeds.  Sautee until the spices become aromatic, about 1 to 2 minutes.

3. Add the garlic, onion and remaining butter to the pan and toss to coat.  Cover and cook over low heat until chicken is cooked through (15-20 minutes for legs, 30 minutes or more for chicken breasts).

Taste of Adventure