Subtly sweet, wonderfully aromatic and a comfort food through and through, this recipe for Blackberry-Thyme Roasted Chicken is over-the-top delicious. And it presents beautifully for a casual dinner party.
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I have big, exciting news!
It’s not what you might be thinking — I didn’t get a cookbook deal or win the lottery, and 2 kids are plenty. 😉
This is food news, my friends. My husband, a Pescatarian (who doesn’t eat bottom feeders — don’t ask), for 21 years, decided to bring meat and poultry back into his diet. Big news, right? Oh yes it is!
I couldn’t be more excited. After all, I love braising brisket for hours, making slow-cooked stews, and having the house on the block with the wonderful aroma of a roasting chicken seeping out of its windows. And really, is there anything better than sharing a bunch of “small plates” at your favorite restaurants!?
My husband jumped right in, and for the past couple of weeks has been trying it all — including this unbelievably succulent, deliciously flavored roasted chicken, which I’m hoping you’ll love as much as he did.
In honor of my husband, let’s have a little contest, shall we?
So why after so many years did my husband make this decision? I want you to see if you can guess the answer.
When the contest is over, I’ll tell you his answer, but to enter all you have to do is make a guess. I’ll be using Random.org to choose a winner, who will get a cooking gift from me. A surprise gift and I can only tell you, it’s for people who love to cook with meat and/or poultry, and I promise you’ll dig it.
THE ANSWER IS HERE — CONTEST {closed as of 9/12/14}
Subtly sweet, wonderfully aromatic and a comfort food through and through, this recipe is over-the-top delicious.
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- about 1 1/3 cup fresh blackberries, divided
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme, finely chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 approximately (4-pound) whole chicken
- a few sprigs of fresh thyme for garnish
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Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.
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In a small bowl, combine the softened butter with ⅓ cup of the blackberries, and use the back of a small fork to mash them. Then add the lemon zest, thyme, garlic, salt and pepper. Mix until it's relatively smooth (there will be pieces of blackberries throughout). Set aside.
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Remove the insides of the chicken, and pat dry with paper towels.
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Spread about 2 tablespoons of the blackberry-thyme butter on the bottom of a small roasting pan that's at least a couple of inches larger than the chicken, on all sides.
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Place the chicken in the pan, on top of the butter, breast side up. Rub the blackberry-thyme butter mixture under the skin. (This should include the breasts and legs.) Work your way under as much of the skin as possible -- if you're very gentle, it won't tear.
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Now truss the chicken with butcher's twine. Here's how. (It's also okay to just tie the ends of the legs together if trussing it becomes tricky.)
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Rub the remaining blackberry-thyme butter mixture on top -- all over the skin of the chicken.
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Being sure the chicken is breast side up, place the pan in the preheated 500 degree F oven and roast until the surface of the chicken is golden brown, about 20 minutes. Remove the chicken from the oven and reduce the heat to 350 F degrees.
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Very carefully, using tongs, placing one part inside the cavity and one gently on the top of the breast side, flip the chicken over so it's breast side down.
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Once the oven has cooled to 350 degrees F, continue to roast the chicken until internal temperature is 155 degrees -- this should take about an hour, but focus only on the temperature and not the time. (For an accurate reading of the temperature, place the thermometer deep into the flesh, away from bones.) During the roasting process, every 15 or so, use a spoon to baste the chicken with the butter and juices from the bottom of the pan.
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The final internal temperature will be about 165 degrees, as the chicken will continue to cook for several minutes outside of the oven. It should be nicely browned, the juices should run clear and the legs should move easily when it's done. (If you think it's getting too brown before the chicken is cooked, lightly cover it with foil in the oven.)
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When you remove the chicken from the oven, baste it again, and then use a few pieces of crumbled foil to tilt the it (place them beneath one end), so the breast end is down. This allows all of the juices to flow to the breasts. Wait at least 15 minutes before carving.
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Use the remaining 1 cup of the blackberries and the thyme sprigs for garnish.
The smell of bacon finally became too much to resist, luring him to the carnivore side like a gateway drug of salty goodness.
It is much easier to find small scale sustainably raised, cleaner, naturally fed meat to complete a healthy diet.
One day he just said, you know I think I’ll try a very small taste of this bacon, and the rest was history. Because bacon is addictive.
I think he said to himself, “There is a reason we are at the top of the food chain. I’m going to eat everything in moderation, and all will be well.” And everyone lived happily ever after.
He realized his wife was a great cook…and decided to take full advantage…the more meat the merrier! LOL
He had a dream that meat was now good to eat. 🙂
He smelled that beautiful roast chicken of your’s and decided he just couldn’t resist anymore!
Perhaps he has long wanted to try whatever you are making and decided that he would try the animal proteins as well. He may have also felt that his health could include a diet with some items from the entire food pyramid; including animal protein.
I’m loving these guesses! Keep them coming! 😀
I’m thinking it goes back to you growing up on a farm in Sloan Iowa!
Maybe he was a little anemic?
He thought he would look better with a little meat on his bones 🙂 ?
He realized that you only go around once, so why limit yourself from all the bounty around you, which in your household has to be plenty.
He began working out and realized that meat protein would help him get the muscular look he desired.
I’m happy for you, Valentina that your cooking possibilities have opened right up! That chicken looks delectable, and I’m going with a meat thermometer as your surprise gift! CC
Okay, I totally misread the question!! DOH! Hmmm…that’s a much harder question! He missed having hamburgers? I have NO idea!!
Um, hubby went to the Farmers Market with you and met a couple of local producers of high quality meat and poultry?
He felt too weak from a lack of protein?
Because your cooking is just too delicious to pass up!
He realized that salad is what food eats. 🙂
I have been looking for fruit based recipe like this, I can’t wait to make it.
Darn – all of the good guesses are already taken! : ) I’ll go out on a limb… Because he is concerned about ocean pollution and potentially harmful contamination found in fish?
Because Bacon!!!
He realized that he had felt awful for 21 years!
these are great! more please! 🙂
Because he missed it?
A man cant live by bread alone
I am thinking he is looking for something more and decided life is too short to have limits on what he eats. Unless of course, you’re allergic. I’m a big fish lover too, but sometimes you just want to enjoy a heartier texture than that flaky piece of fish and really you can only dip into your spouses port or red wine sauce drizzled on their steak so many times before you have to admit it doesn’t quite “go” with your fish. 😉
You love cooking. He loves you.
Maybe he is finally caving in to the bacon craze of the last few years. There are many people that say bacon is the gateway meat that brings people back to eating meat again!
My guess is that his body was missing some form of vitamin from eating meat so he was craving it.
I think that he just re-thought this whole food-chain thing and came to the earth shattering realization that being at the top has its advantages – like not feeling weak all of the time and having some stamina.
I am going to guess a hot dog
Couldn’t remember what it tasted like so he thought he would give it a try again.
First, I have to say that the chicken looks amazing! What a unique combination of flavors – will definitely try this (if blackberries are still producing in Tucson!). It will be interesting to know why the change – will look forward to the answer to this mystery!
Thanks David. I’m trying to use blackberries where I can because they’re just do pretty! (And apparently really healthy!)
I’m going to guess he was worried about the reports of soy products raising your estrogen levels. (That would freak my fiance out!)
Tina, this might be my favorite one yet. 😉
To add more protein into his diet.
jweezie43[at]gmail[dot]com
He missed it
His body needed it.
Could be like a friend of mine…the smell of hot dogs at a cookout finally wore her down!
He just wanted too.
He decided to go Paleo, which is virtually impossible if you don’t use animal proteins.
he finally got sick of seafood.
Because meat is delicious!
He missed the hanging around the grill extolling on all the glorious meats that could be grilled and decided to come back to meat Utopia.
Maybe he just got hungry for meat…the way a body seems to crave what it needs.
Because the kitchen gadget or spice is so great that he couldn’t resist eating what wonderfulness you made.
because he got tired of beans
He did it for you 🙂
Because there is nothing like biting into a juicy burger! You can’t do that with tofu.
He is getting older and wants the benefits of protein-on hair, body weight…
I think he just missed the taste. I know I would 🙂
He had heard of some recipes that sounded interesting and he wanted to make them. And obviously he couldn’t make them and not eat them.
He was going through your cookbook or recipe cards and came across it
My guess is that he loves blackberries and could not resist trying this roasted chicken. My second guess would be that he needed protein or that he was told by a doctor that meat was essential for his health.
He wants meat because he keeps missing out on all of your delicious meals!
I think he did it because how Soy products are being created now and how it’s much easier to get organic, grass feed meats now.
Because bacon! Really, though, I’m guessing some kind of protein or vitamin thing; that’s what it’s been for me. It’s also easier to source ethically-produced meats now than a couple decades ago.
im guessing he was missing a good ole steak with onions and mushrooms right off the grill….he wanted to expand his food choices
i think that he chose to eat meat again because he wanted a hamburger!
He had a Technicolor dream about fried chicken.
Doctor said he had low iron and meat has lots in it
He saw buffalo chicken pizza and really, really wanted a slice and decided to go for it.
I think he decided his body needed meat to live a longer healthier life.
Because the idea of your cooking with beef and pork is too hard to resist. Amazing recipes are too hard to handle and irresistible.
He wanted to try a dessert that incorporated bacon and that did it!
Just checking back about why he decided.
Hi Karen, I put this up on Saturday —> 16 Best Meat Recipes and Surprise Giveaway Revealed! Enjoy. 🙂