Roasted Herb & Lemon Chicken over Creamy Sweet Potatoes & Gnocchi

Perfectly roasted whole chicken pieces over creamy sweet potatoes and gnocchi make this dish an ultimate hit! If the way to a man's heart is truly through his stomach, then this just might be your dish to snag a hubby! ;)

#boujeekitchen #boujeechicken #dishtoremember #patienceisavirtue

Note**: I strongly suggest you read through the directions first before you begin to prepare this dish because this dish requires quite a few steps that require time. So be ahead of the game with this one! It's likely a dish you'll want to make on a Saturday or Sunday when you've got some time to kill and wine that needs attention! ;)

I will say, this is one dish that just might actually taste even better than it looks. Some of the best dishes I've ever created have been ones involving which when I had no plan, and decided to start pairing things together that I thought would fit well that just so happened to be in my fridge. Chicken is always a great way to do this because it's a meat that can be dressed up in so many ways! This is truly, a winner winner chicken dinner, and it's well worth all the effort and is relatively fool proof, even though it may not look that way!

Tips to Consider:

It's done marinading, can I just pop it in the oven now?

Don't do it! One thing I can't stress enough is how important it is to let your meat rest at room temperature before you put it to heat. One common mistake people make is going straight from the fridge to the oven, and this is the main contributor to dried out, tough meat. Letting it rest a while before preparing can ensure the meat is cooked through evenly and also help it maintain its juiciness. Dry meat is yucky meat, so don't make this mistake!

What You'll Need:

For the Chicken:

• 1 whole chicken, cut up into 8 pieces (2 thighs, 2 wings, 2 breast, 2 legs)

• Juice of 1 extra fresh large lemon, or 2 small lemons

• 1/3 cup good quality olive oil

• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary

• 3 large garlic cloves, smashed

• 3/4 tsp Kosher salt, plus another pinch here and there

• 1/2 tsp onion pwdr

• 1/2 tsp paprika

• 1/2 tsp dried thyme

• 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1" cubes

• 1 pkg potato gnocchi (you can find this is in the pasta aisle)

• 1 tsp fresh thinly sliced chive, for garnish

For the Sauce:

• 2 T butter

• 1 sprig fresh rosemary

• 1 1/2 c heavy cream

• 1/3 cup grated parmesan

• 3 Tbsp of accumulated juices from the chicken pan, after it's removed from the oven (of course)

• 1 large garlic clove, smashed and peeled

Directions:

*Preheat your oven to 450

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine your *good quality* olive oil, 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary, 3 cloves of smashed garlic, juice of lemon and season with a pinch of kosher salt and pepper and give a quick whisk to combine. Let it sit for about 30 minutes so that the oil can be infused with the aromas of the ingredients. While this sits, allow your chicken to sit out at room temperature. You can use this time to rinse, peel and slice your sweet potatoes into even one inch cubes, rinse and set aside.

2. Pat your chicken pieces dry with a paper towel and using a tong, put the chicken pieces into a mixing bowl and season with 1/2 tsp of kosher salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, your measured out onion powder, paprika and dried thyme and give a good toss to distribute the seasonings evenly throughout the chicken.

3. After your oil has sat for a good 30 minutes or so, place the chicken into it and give a good toss using a tong to coat it all, then cover it with foil or Saran Wrap and let sit for about 45 minutes to an hour in the fridge. You'll remove it from the fridge 30-45 minutes before you plan to prepare it in the oven so that it can be brought back up to room temperature. You never want to go straight from fridge to oven or your meat will dry out while roasting.

4. Once your meat has reached room temperature, place it in a roasting pan along with all of the marinade, garlic cloves and rosemary sprigs. Make sure that your chicken is not crowded in the pan or it will steam instead of roast. Give all of your pieces space in between them to allow this steam to escape to ensure your skin gets extra crispy. Place on the center rack in your 450 degree oven and roast about 40-45 minutes, or until no longer pink, you can always temp it to be sure (chicken should be at 165 to be fully cooked).

5. While there is about 20-30 minutes left on your chicken in the oven, feel free to get your sweet potatoes in a dutch oven and cover with cold water, season with a pinch of kosher salt and bring to a boil. Cook until fork tender, strain, and remove to a plate.

6. Prepare your gnocchi according to the package directions. Once done, strain and add spread out evenly to the plate with the sweet potatoes to cool.

7. Once your chicken is done, allow to rest about 5-10 minutes, tented with foil.

8. Get a saute pan going over medium heat for the sauce and add 2 T of butter along with 3 T of the accumulated juices from the roasting pan and stir to combine.

9. Next, add your sweet potatoes and gnocchi to the pan, and give a good stir. Season with a pinch of salt and dash of pepper, then add in your heavy cream and bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Throw in your smashed clove of garlic along with the sprig of rosemary to allow the sauce to be perfumed with flavor. Once aromatic, add in the parmesan cheese and stir until thick and creamy. Test for seasoning and sprinkle with more salt and pepper as necessary until all of the flavors are bright and delicious!

10. Using a large spoon, scoop a helping of the creamy sweet potato and gnocchi mixture onto a plate and then using a tong, plate your chicken on top and garnish with freshly sliced chive. Admire your hard work and enjoy!

Did you make this recipe? Don't forget to post a photo and tag @boujeekitchen_ on instagram and hashtag it #boujeekitchen

Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.

Proverbs 16: 3