Spicing Things Up in the Artic

All of the recipes I’ve posted so far have been sweet. Understandably, due to years of vicious media, you may believe that we only live off of desserts, but that is just absurd! It would be impossible for Kris and myself to survive off of only cakes, cookies, and pies. While Kris does have a substantial appetite for anything sweet, we both also enjoy a healthy dose of savory foods. A staple around here is roasted chicken. It is simple, homey, and makes the house smell lovely.

Usually I just stuff the chicken with a variety of herbs, lemons, and garlic, rub it with a bit of butter and finish it off with salt and fresh cracked pepper. Last week though, I was feeling a little spicy. Cajun seasoning was just the ticket!

What’s great about this rub is that you can make it depending on how spicy you like it! We like it with a touch of bite, but by all means make it mild!

Cajun Roast Chicken

4-5lb whole chicken
4 tablespoons of butter – room temperature
1 head of garlic
Cajun Seasoning
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon of smoked paprika
1 heaping teaspoon of cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon whole dried thyme leaves
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon Lawry’s seasoned salt

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Combine spices in a small bowl. Set aside.

Rinse chicken with cold water, then pat dry. Rub 3 tablespoons the butter underneath the skin over the breast meat. Liberally salt and pepper the chicken cavity. Cut the garlic head in half horizontally, put inside. Rub the remaining tablespoon of butter all over the outside of the chicken. Sprinkle Cajun seasoning all over the chicken, then rub all over the chicken trying to evenly distribute the spices.

Tie together chicken legs and tuck under the wings. Place in roasting pan.

Roast chicken for 1 ½ hours, or until the chicken reaches 165 degrees. Baste the chicken every 20 minutes. Allow to rest for 10 minutes. Cut and serve!

(I like a little gravy to pour over the chicken, or anything else on my plate! If you feel up to waiting another 5 minutes, I would recommend making this gravy. It has a delicious hint of spice from the rub!)

To make a simple gravy, pour off pan drippings into a liquid measuring cup allowing the fat to rise to the top. Place the roasting pan onto a burner on medium heat (if it isn’t safe on the stove top, just use a skillet) Pour about 3 tablespoons of fat back in, and add in an equal amount of flour, whisk together. The consistency shouldn’t be gluey, if it is too thick and dry looking just add a little more fat in. After a minute, pour in a cup and a half of chicken broth while whisking smooth. (Store bought chicken stock works great!) Bring to a bubble add salt and pepper, check for seasoning. Serve!