#MondayMeals: A Valen-thyme's Day Meal to Share
Whether you are treating yourself or others this Valentine’s Day, give this recipe a shot and see why we love Lemon and Thyme Roasted Chicken. It’s delicious, nutritious, and can be made with locally sourced ingredients!
Thyme contains vitamins that help boost the immune system. It also helps to lower blood pressure and has been used to suppress coughing.
Chicken is full of great nutrients including calcium, folate, protein, potassium, and vitamins. These nutrients can boost the immune system, prevent anemia, and help to maintain heart health. Chicken is also very good for eye health, helps to lower blood pressure, and decreases the risk of stroke and heart attack.
Lemons are rich in vitamins, minerals, and nutritious plant compounds. They support heart health, digestive health, and help to prevent kidney stones. Lemons may also help prevent anemia and reduce the risk of cancer.
Food produced locally is more nutritious. This is because food contains the most nutrients around the time it is harvested. The longer food spends traveling, the less nutrition it contains. Less time traveling also means less exposure to harmful chemicals and less production of greenhouse gasses. What a tasteful way to decrease our carbon footprint!
Find ingredients for Lemon and Thyme Roasted Chicken and more at Anderson’s Farm Market, The Local Food Market, or through a CSA share at Main Street Farms. Check out the healthy and delicious recipe for Lemon and Thyme Roasted Chicken below.
Lemon and Thyme Roasted Chicken
Ingredients
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
1 roasting chicken (5 to 6 pounds)
1 medium lemon, halved
1/4 large sweet onion
1/4 cup fresh thyme sprigs
6 garlic cloves, peeled
Lemon wedges
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°. Mix minced thyme, salt, garlic powder and pepper. Place chicken on a rack in a shallow roasting pan, breast side up. Tuck wings under chicken; tie drumsticks together. Squeeze juice from lemon halves over chicken; sprinkle with thyme mixture.
Loosely stuff chicken with squeezed lemon halves, onion, thyme sprigs and garlic. Roast 1-1/2 to 2 hours or until a thermometer inserted in thickest part of thigh reads 170°-175°. (Cover loosely with foil if chicken browns too quickly.)
Remove chicken from oven; tent with foil. Let stand 15 minutes before carving. Serve with lemon wedges.
