To Recycle Foods: Roast a Chicken; Use the Bones & Leftover Meat

see? those tips are a little burnt. woops.

I get great pleasure from not wasting any of the food. When we have leftovers that aren't somehow used (ie: eaten or re-purposed) my heart sinks. Sometimes, I yell at Michael WE HAVE TO EAT ALL THE FOOD WE CANNOT KEEP WASTING FOOD. It feels slightly better. It's just that there were a lot of stories last year (that I was paying attention to) saying horrible things about how much food is wasted in America: food farmers grow that isn't used, food we make then throw out, good but past date food thrown away from grocery shelves. ANYWAY, it's sad. Cause some people don't have ENOUGH food. Supply/demand/inequality/etc.

So, when I get the opportunity to make the most of my purchasing power by making something that can be used from skin to bones and continue to nourish us through the week-- I get SUPER excited.


I love roasting chickens. It's easy and delicious. I've been doing it for (welp) over 10 years now. And honestly, I've not 100% mastered it (usually it's superb, but I make mistakes sometimes!) and I always learn new things. (SIDE NOTE: I heard last week that chickens grown in commercial farms are considered FOOD and not even animals. Weird.)

Usually, I'm a lemon, garlic, salt, pepper, and some variety of herbs kinda gal on top of potatoes, brussels, onions or something like that. But, I've got some leftover harissa in my fridge that just NEEDS eating, so I decided to use that as my inspiration and go a little (take little literally) middle eastern.

Do you know how to roast a chicken? It's pretty easy. Just make sure to cook it for long enough. Once you're thinking it's done tip it over and see if the juices that run out are clear, if so, you're good!

Heat the oven to 425. Take the chicken outta the package and all you do is DRY it off... most things I read have said rinsing is not necessary. (Drying makes for crispier skin/less moisture in the oven.)

Then, do an herb rub on the outside and throw some flavor agents on the inside. For this guy:

• I employed a few different spices, ie: cardamom & cinnamon + the usual salt & pepper on the skin. 
• Then, I shoved some crunched up garlic cloves & a lemon cut into 8ths into the cavity. 
• Tie the arms together. I think this keeps the flavor in? IDK, man.

I don't bother putting oil on the skin right away. This is a new Mark Bittman trick. About halfway through, I squeeze some oil onto the skin. In my mind, I think this allows the skin to crisp up a bit better.

i made potatoes, too. and do NOT add sliced lemons like i did. the skin becomes VERY bitter. 

I always roast the chicken on top of veggies. This time, with my lightly middle eastern themed dinner, I focused on carrots, onions, mushrooms and chick peas. I put a LITTLE oil on (because the chicken fat will drip onto them and you don't want greasy veggies--defeats the whole HEALTH factor) plus some salt, pepper, and a few red chili pepper flakes. Mix 'em around.

After about an hour, the chicken should be finished. But check it. Don't be silly. If it's finished, take the BIRD out of the oven and... this is a new trick I learned this year!

Once the chicken has finished roasting, and since it should rest 15-30 minutes after its finished cooking anyway, put the veggies BACK in the oven to get golden brown.     

It seems SO obvious, but was such an amazing thing to learn. I forget where I heard about it though :( OH, maybe America's Test Kitchen podcast?

In this version, after I took the chicken out, I put some harissa on it while the veggies continued roasting. They turned out so well. I LOVE roasted chickpeas in harissa. Um. I love chickpeas prepared most ways, so perhaps this isn't saying much.

Then, what do you do with it? EAT IT! Duh. OMG. But what about using the WHOLE thing you say:

• For the meat (after you eat some, cold straight out of the tupperware, for breakfast) you make a chicken lentil soup that you'll eat for lunch next week. (You might also add some red wine for umami said Michael.)

• And with the bones (plus a bunch of scraps including onion ends, celery leaves, and other things you don't usually eat) you become a super trendy bone broth maker/consumer! 

I totally don't buy anything having to do with bone broth being a miracle cure or whatever, but it's real nice to have hearty broth ready in your fridge. (Bone broth v. stock, for inquiring minds.)

PLUS: you just used the WHOLE chicken! And pre-made your lunch AND you upped your game when you make faro for dinner the next week (by using the broth instead of water to boil it in). You know if you and me are the same.