Recipes Fall Favorites Poultry Sides Veggies

Roast Citrus Chicken with Lemon-Thyme Gravy, Mashed Potatoes and Green Beans

Serves 4

Ingredients

4 chicken legs and 2 whole chicken breasts, cut in half
4 cloves garlic, smashed
10 fresh bay leaves
2 lemons, sliced
1 cup green Cerignola or Sicilian olives
1 large onion, chopped
Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), for drizzling
4 large Idaho potatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds), peeled and cut into about 1-inch cubes
1/2 cup part-skim or whole milk ricotta cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (about a handful)
1/4 Italian parsley, chopped (about a handful)
2 pounds green beans, stem ends removed
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
2 cups chicken stock
8 sprigs thyme, leaves removed
Juice of 2 lemons (a few tablespoons of juice)

Pre-heat the oven to 450ºF.
To a roasting pan, add the chicken, garlic, bay leaves, lemon slices, olives and onion. Drizzle everything with EVOO and transfer to the oven. Roast, turning the chicken pieces occasionally, until they are golden brown and cooked through, about 30-35 minutes.
While the chicken is roasting, place the potatoes into a pot of cold water over medium-high heat. Bring the water to a bubble and cook the potatoes until tender, about 10 minutes, depending on their size. Drain the potatoes and return them to their cooking pot to dry off and cool down slightly. Add the ricotta, grated Parmigiano Reggiano and parsley to the potatoes and mash them. Place the potatoes in the pot with the lid on to keep them warm and reserve.
About 10 minutes before the chicken is done, arrange the green beans on a cookie sheet. Drizzle them liberally with some EVOO and season with salt and pepper. Place the green beans in the oven with the chicken and roast for about 10 minutes, until tender.
When the chicken is almost done, place a medium size pot over medium heat and melt the butter. Sprinkle the flour over the butter and cook it for about 1 minute. Whisk the chicken stock into the roux along with the thyme and lemon juice. Season the gravy with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
To serve, give a few pieces of chicken to each person along with some of the mashed potatoes and roasted green beans alongside, topping everything off with some of the lemon-thyme gravy.