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Messy Baked Chicken

17/11/2023

The “Messy Baked Chicken” is a tasty variant of the classic roast chicken. This version may include a mix of vegetables and spices that blend with the chicken juices during cooking, creating a rich and flavorful dish. Below I describe the recipe:

Ingredients

  • 1 whole chicken (about 1.2-1.5 kg)
  • 2 medium potatoes
  • 2 carrots
  • 1 onion
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 1 sprig of rosemary
  • 1 sprig of sage
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 150 ml of white wine
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

  1. Prepare the chicken by cleaning it, drying it, and removing any feather remnants. Preheat the oven to 190 °C.
  2. Peel the potatoes and carrots, then cut them into not too small pieces. Slice the onion and crush the garlic cloves.
  3. In a baking dish, place the chicken in the center and arrange the prepared vegetables around it. Add the rosemary sprig, sage, and bay leaf.
  4. Pour a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil over the chicken and vegetables, then sprinkle everything with salt and pepper to taste.
  5. Pour the white wine into the dish, being careful not to pour it directly on the chicken so as not to remove the seasoning.
  6. Bake the chicken and cook it for about 1 hour and 30 minutes. During cooking, baste the chicken with its cooking juices occasionally, to keep the meat soft and juicy.
  7. Check the doneness of the chicken by inserting a skewer into the thickest part: if a clear liquid comes out, without any pink traces, the chicken is ready.
  8. Let the chicken rest for a few minutes before serving it with the vegetables and the sauce formed.

Curiosity

The name “messy” comes from the mixed cooking method, where the chicken and vegetables “mess up” among themselves with their juices and spices, creating a rustic and homely flavor that is much appreciated.

If you do not have white wine available, you can replace it with chicken broth or even with a bit of water and a pinch of vinegar to balance the flavors. Remember that in cooking it is also important to improvise and personalize recipes according to your own tastes and the ingredients available.