Urban Garlic Chicken

*This was the dish I chose to make for our Freezer Swap this month. After I put seven of them together for the swap, I decided to cook mine for dinner! My favorite method is to cook it in my microwave in my PC baker (with lid) and it was DELICIOUS! The chicken was tender and moist and browned (in the microwave?!). My children loved it and the youngest asked for repeated helpings (he can be finicky!). It was SO good--and SO easy! Great summertime meal--hot, but no heat in the kitchen!

Urban Garlic Chicken

Adapted From Fix Freeze and Feast

1-5lb. Whole chicken

1/8 c. olive oil

1 T. Red Wine Vinegar

4 cloves garlic

½ T. dried thyme

1 t. salt

½ t. black pepper

1 carrot peeled and cut in half

1 celery stalk cut in half

½ onion peeled and quartered

1. Rinse chicken under cool water. Remove giblets from cavity and discard. Pat chicken dry with paper towel.
2. Combine oil, vinegar, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
3. Place chicken, breast side up, on a work surface. Gently loosen skin on breast and legs by working your fingers between the skin and meat. Using half the marinade, rub under and over and the skin and in the cavity. Put the chicken in a 1 gallon zip-loc bag.
4. Put all vegetables in a one quart zip loc bag and then directly into the larger bag with the chicken.
5. Seal and freeze.

To Cook:

Oven:

1. completely thaw in the refrigerator
2. preheat the oven to 325 F
3. Place chicken, breast side up, in a greased baking dish. Put vegetables in cavity. Roast for about 1 ½ hours, or until an instant read thermometer inserted into the thigh reads 180 F.

Crock Pot:

1. Don’t thaw! J Put chicken and vegetables in the slow cooker (must have a

removable insert). Cook for 8 to 10 hours. Drain juices, reserve and cool. Place

the uncovered crock in a 350 F oven. For 15 minutes to brown the skin.

Meanwhile use the reserved juices to make gravy or a sauce.

Microwave: (My method of choice!)

1. Put thawed chicken in the Pampered Chef Covered Baker (with lid) breast side up.

Put vegetables in the cavity. Cover with baker lid and place in microwave on high

for 30 minutes. Check temperature at the end to be sure it is 180 F when inserted

into the thigh. Enjoy!