Turkey in Electric Roaster
Trying this in two days. Wish me luck!
Serving Size: 18 servings
Turkey in Electric Roaster
The ONLY way I'll ever cook turkey for Thanksgiving!! A fix it and forget it type of situation.
Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 3 HourTotal time: 3 H & 15 M
Ingredients
- 1 whole turkey, thawed, up to 20 lbs.
- 1/4 cup olive oil or 1/4 cup butter
- 1 teaspoon seasoning salt
- 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 onion
- 1/2 lemon
Instructions
- Take the insert pan out of the roaster and pre-heat the roaster to its highest setting. On mine it's 450°F, but use 500°F if your oven goes that high.
- Do not wash the turkey! The USDA says that washing it could cause a spread of salmonella poisoning. Sprinkle salt in the cavities. Stuff if desired. Don’t pre-stuff your turkey; mix and stuff ingredients immediately before roasting. Tossing in a few pieces of cut fruit or herbs is not considered 'stuffing.' Stuffing usually means filling up the cavity with about ¾ cup stuffing per pound of turkey.
- Rub the entire bird with olive oil or butter. Doctor up your bird with whatever special seasonings you wish. I always use poultry seasoning. Finish with a good sprinkle of seasoning salt and black pepper.
- I highly recommend using a wired thermometer so you can watch the temperature without lifting the lid. Your turkey will be done much earlier than the estimated cook time, so keep a sharp eye on that thermometer. If using a pop-up turkey plug type thermometer, those little pop-ups stick sometimes so you should really use two of them.
- Put the rack into the insert pan and make sure the handles are up, not tucked below. Put the bird in the insert pan on top of the rack. Don’t add water to the pan. Put the insert pan back into the roasting pan. If your roaster doesn't have an insert pan, it's ok - just be very careful putting the bird into that hot oven, you don't want to burn your hands on the sides of the oven! Cover.
- Roast at highest setting for 30 minutes. The butter/oil, seasonings and the searing time will make the skin beautifully browned and perfect!
- After 30 minutes, turn the oven temperature down to 325°F.
- The turkey will self-baste if you do not lift the lid, so you don't have to baste it every 20 minutes like you do in your conventional oven. DO NOT LIFT LID during cooking time! Lifting the lid will increase cooking time because roaster ovens lose their heat unlike regular ovens. I've read that roaster ovens effectively 'steam' the turkey making the meat come out -- well, steamed. This is not true as you will find out. Similar to the roasted chickens you can get at your supermarket, the bird will come out moist and perfectly roasted. Why do you think they call it a Roaster Oven?
- FIGURE YOUR TOTAL COOKING TIME FROM THE TIME YOU FIRST PUT THE BIRD IN THE ROASTER. THE BUTTERBALL WEBSITE HAS A GREAT CALCULATOR:
- http://www.butterball.com/calculators-and-conversions.
- FINAL TEMPERATURE FOR SAFETY AND DONENESS IS: 180 DEGREES IN THIGH AND 165 DEGREES IN BREAST AND STUFFING. Juices should be clear, not pink.
- Check your turkey EARLY. Really start watching the temp an hour before it's supposed to be done. Your turkey will almost certainly be done before the suggested cooking time. Watch your wired meat thermometer. If using a pop-up turkey plug type thermometer, check by lifting the lid quickly so the oven doesn’t lose its heat. If necessary, check after another 30 minutes, but I doubt you'll have to do that. I say check after 30 minutes because it's really OK to let the bird roast a little extra - you won't dry it out using my method if you let it go for 1/2 hour.
- When done, remove the turkey from the roaster, tent with foil, and let rest for 20 minutes. This allows the juices to really seep into the meat, so they say.
Notes
This cooked FAST. Much faster than expected and I expected it to cook fast!
Notes:
BBQ Chicken Skillet
I can’t remember where I stumbled upon this recipe but I like that it’s BBQ flavor without me having to pick up a piece of meat and start gnawing on it to get that BBQ flavor :)
Serving Size: 6 servings
BBQ Chicken Skillet
Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 30 MinTotal time: 35 Min
Ingredients
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 pounds chicken tender strips
- 3/4 cup barbecue sauce, divided
- 1 16-ounce can Bush’s Homestyle Baked Beans
- 1 15-ounce can of corn, drained
- 1 cup chicken broth, reduced-sodium
- 2 cups instant rice, uncooked
- 1/2 cup cheddar-jack cheese, shredded
- Avocadoes, cut in wedges (optional)
- Lime wedges (optional)
Instructions
- Heat oil in large oven safe skillet over medium-high heat. Place chicken in the skillet and cook until no longer pink, about 4-5 minutes. Using about 1/4 cup barbecue sauce, brush each side of the chicken strips with sauce while the other side cooks. Place cooked chicken on a plate and set aside.
- Add Bush's Homestyle Baked Beans, corn, chicken broth and remaining 1/2 cup of barbecue sauce to the empty skillet and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Stir in rice to combine. Place chicken back in the skillet, bring to slow boil, cover and remove from heat. let stand about 5-7 minutes or until rice is tender. Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Top with cheese and place skillet in oven for 5-10 minutes or until cheese is melted.
- Serve with salad or avocadoes. Garnish with lime.
Notes:
Chicken Parm with Roasted Broccoli & Garlic Bread
One of the better Dinnerly (another Martha food delivery service) recipes I made. A nice, easy version of Chicken Parm. Fuggedaboutit.
Serving Size: 4 servings
Chicken Parm with Roasted Broccoli & Garlic Bread
A classic, easy meal.
Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 20 MinTotal time: 35 Min
Ingredients
- 4 large garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- 3 ounces fontina, thinly sliced
- 1 lb. broccoli crowns, cut into 1-inch spears
- 2 hero/sub rolls, split in half
- 2 1/2 ounce can tomato paste
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 3/4 teaspoon sugar
- Olive oil
- Kosher salt & pepper
Instructions
- In a small bowl, stir together 1/3 of the garlic and 3 T oil. Brush or spoon garlic-oil all over cut sides of bread.
- Heat 1 T oil and remaining garlic in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high. When sizzling, about 1 minute, add tomato paste and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Add 2 cups water, 3/4 tsp salt, 3/4 tsp sugar, and a few grinds of pepper. Boil until reduced to 1 1/4 cups, 4-5 minutes. Pour sauce into a measuring cup. Rinse and dry skillet.
- While sauce cooks, toss broccoli with 3 T oil on a rimmed baking sheet, and season generously with salt and pepper. Roast in oven until tender and browned and crisp in spots, about 12 minutes, adding bread to sheet after about 8 minutes to lightly toast (watch closely). Remove sheet from oven; wrap bread in foil to keep warm. Turn broiler to high.
- Pat chicken dry and season with 1 tsp salt and a few grinds of pepper. Heat 2 T oil in same skillet over medium-high. Add chicken and cook until golden brown and just cooked through, about 2 minutes per side. Remove from heat and cover chicken with tomato sauce, sauce will sizzle.
- Top chicken with sliced fontina and place skillet in oven. Broil until fontina is melted, and golden brown in spots, and sauce is bubbling, about 3 minutes (watch carefully).
- Cut roll crosswise into slices and serve alongside chicken, roasted broccoli and remaining sauce on the side for dipping.
Notes:
Chicken & Dumplings
I took a 6-week cooking class a few years ago and learned so much! I wouldn’t even be able to guess what would be in a dish like Chicken & Dumplings. Well I learned that it’s literally one of the easiest things you can make. Don’t wait til someone is sick to try making it. There’s something super satisfying about watching this dish thicken from the flour on the dumplings.
Serving Size: 6=8 servings
Chicken & Dumplings
I never knew how easy these were to make!
Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 30 MinTotal time: 45 Min
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 - 2 lbs. chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup water
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
Instructions
- Combine flour, salt and pepper. Add water a little bit at a time until you can form a soft dough. Set aside.
- In a Dutch Oven, bring chicken broth to a simmer over medium heat.
- While broth is heating, sprinkle flour on countertop or pastry mat and roll dough out until it's about 1/4-inch thick. Cut dough into strips and then into 1 1/2-inch strips, for dumplings.
- Once the broth is simmering, reduce heat and add dumplings. Stir to make sure they don't stick to the bottom.
- Add chicken pieces. Stir occasionally until chicken is cooked through and broth has thickened considerably. Salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
You can keep the pot on low and stir occasionally, for an hour or so until you are ready to serve. You may need to add a little broth if it cooks down too much.
One-Pot Chicken & Rice
The key to this dish is to not be scared to let that chicken brown so the skin is nice and crispy.
Serving Size: 4 servings
One-Pot Chicken & Rice
A quick, flavorful dish.
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 30 MinTotal time: 40 Min
Ingredients
- 1 large yellow onion, small diced
- 4 ounces roasted red peppers
- 1 1/2 cups jasmine rice
- 1 1/2 lbs. cubed chicken thighs
- 1 tablespoon chorizo chili spice blend
- 2 packets chicken broth concentrate
- 3 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 1/2 tsp sugar
- Olive oil
- Kosher salt & ground pepper
Instructions
- Finely chop 1/2 cup of the onions. Pat roasted red peppers dry, then coarsely chop.
- In a small bowl, combine vinegar, sugar, and a pinch of salt, whisking until sugar dissolves. Add finely chopped onion, stirring to combine.
- Season chicken with 1 tsp salt and a few grinds of pepper. Heat 2 T oil in a large pot over medium-high. Add chicken to pot, then cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned in spots, 7-9 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer chicken to a plate.
- Heat 2 T oil in same pot over medium-high. Add onions and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Cook until golden and softened, scraping browned bits from the bottom of the pot with a spoon, about 4 minutes. Add roasted peppers and 1-2 T of the chorizo chili spice (depending on heat preference). Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Rinse rice in a fine-mesh sieve, until water runs clear. Transfer chicken and any juices back to the pot. Add rice, chicken broth concentrate, and 2 3/4 cups water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, and cover. Cook until liquid is evaporated and rice is tender, about 17 minutes.
- Fluff rice with a fork. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon chicken and rice onto plates. Top with pickled onions.
Notes
You can sub in any yummy chili-type seasoning. I adapted this from Dinnerly so I have always used something else. Our favorite so far is 33rd & Galina seasoning from Penzey's.
Oven-Roasted Orange Chicken with Fennel
The key to this dish is to not be scared to let that chicken brown so the skin is nice and crispy.
Serving Size: 4-6 servings
Oven-Roasted Orange Chicken with Fennel
Prep time: 25 MinCook time: 45 MinTotal time: 1 H & 10 M
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup Pernod
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons orange juice, freshly squeezed
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 2 tablespoons grainy mustard
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper, freshly ground
- 2 1/2 lb. chicken thighs, bone-in
- 2 medium fennel bulbs, washed and cut into 6 equal wedges
- 3 oranges, sliced horizontally into 1/4" slices
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped finely
- 3 teaspoons fennel seeds
- 1 tablespoon fennel fronds, as garnish
Instructions
- Mix Pernod, olive oil, orange juice, lemon juice, mustard, brown sugar, salt and pepper in a large mixing bowl.
- Pat-dry the chicken thighs with a paper towel.
- Add the chicken thighs, fennel wedges, orange slices, thyme and fennel seeds into the mixture. Stir well.
- Cover the chicken with plastic wrap and let marinate for at least 2 hours, up to 12 hours.
- Pre-heat oven to 475°F. Place the chicken thighs (skin side facing up) in a single layer, into a large ovenproof glass pan ( e.g.11x15” Pyrex). Distribute all the fennel wedges and orange slices equally around the chicken thighs. Pour the marinade juices over it.
- Place the chicken in the oven, and roast for 40-45 minutes.
- Transfer the chicken thighs, fennel wedges and orange slices onto a serving plate. Cover with aluminum foil to keep warm. Set aside.
- Pour the juices into a small saucepan. Bring it to a boil, over medium-high heat, then turn down the heat to low, and allow it to simmer until it is reduced to 1/3 cup.
- Pour the sauce over the chicken. Garnish with fennel fronds.
- Serve.
Notes: