I’ve just spent half the day cleaning out my closet and drawers. It’s not what I had planned for today but I’m so glad for the head start on Spring cleaning. I’ve been getting increasingly frustrated by the sad state of my closets and cabinets–they certainly started out clean and organized. I don’t know what has happened in the last year but I feel like my home needs a major cleanup. For me, starting a big project like this is always the difficult part and I’m relieved to be past this hurdle for I’ve got two lawn bags full of clothes and a dozen pairs of shoes that hopefully others will be able to put to good use. Now if I could just continue with the pantry and the kitchen cabinets.
Speaking of cleaning out the kitchen, I think this recipe contains just about everything in my spice drawer. I go through periods of buying spices I think I’ll use only to find myself favoring some others so the rest don’t get as much love in the kitchen. This chicken dish was a tasty way of speeding up the turnover of these delicious but neglected spices and if you can wait three or four days to let the flavors develop, you will not be disappointed.
You can see the ingredients below but I want to point out that the rich yellow color of the chicken comes from turmeric. It not only adds vibrant color to food but it also lends a nice, subtle, curry note. I also added sumac for a little citrus essence. The base of the marinade is made out of vinegar, soy sauce and a little olive oil and along with the spices, the meat is tenderized (vinegar) and is packed with flavor (soy sauce).
And no, it hasn’t escaped my notice that I’m sharing with you an all-meat dish in all its crispy-skinned goodness after going on and on about enjoying light-on-the-meat meals. Oops! I’ve had a lot of soup lately (and next post might just be that again) and I wanted a break. This was a nice way to take stock of my spice inventory and now my old favorites have recaptured my attention again.
Marinated Roast Chicken
* Unfortunately, I didn’t measure the ingedients but I’ll list everything I used here and the approximate amounts. There’s really no wrong way to make this; remove what you don’t like and add your own favorites but the vinegar and soy sauce are highly recommended. I used proportionally less salt since the soy sauce will add enough sodium to this marinade.
** I also roasted some new potatoes in the same marinade.
- Plain white vinegar
- Soy Sauce (regular or low-sodium)
- Olive oil
- 3-4 cloves fresh garlic, minced
- kosher salt (one pinch or two)
- Trader Joes 21 Seasoning Salute (no-salt seasoning; one of my staples; about 1 tablespoon)
- Another variety no-salt seasoning (It doesn’t matter what brand you use, 1 or more tablespoons)
- Paprika (1 – 1 1/2 teaspoons)
- Cayenne Pepper (optional; a few dashes)
- Ground turmeric (1 – 1 1/2 teaspoons, mainly for color and slight curry flavor)
- Sumac (2 teaspoons to 1 tablespoon; if not available you can substitute 1 teaspoon lemon zest)
- ground ginger (optional, 1 teaspoon)
- Granulated Garlic (NOT garlic salt; 1 – 1 1/2 tablespoons)
- Chicken pieces
Begin by combining the spices (and garlic) in a bowl. Add vinegar; you can start with 1/3 – 1/2 cup. Add a few tablespoons of soy sauce and taste. You want to find a balance between the vinegar and soy sauce that you like, not too tart and not too salty. Add the rest of the ingredients. What you want to avoid is for the vinegar to be too overpowering. The mixture will be a little looser than a paste but not too runny. Add a bit of olive oil to finish. Transfer the marinade to a large plastic storage bag and add the chicken. Make sure the marinade is evenly distributed among the chicken pieces. Refrigerate for 2-4 days. I roasted mine on the 4th day. I think I roasted the chicken at 375º until the chicken pieces were cooked and the skin was crisp, about 25-30 minutes.
The chicken does look fabulous…please do give the measurements – intrigued to try out the recipe.
Peter, thanks for stopping by. I’ve updated this post to add approximate measurements. My apologies for the delay. Thanks! 🙂
Wow, looks delicious!
Some mighty tasty looking chicken you got there!
Love the Golden Color! and if you have it.. I wouldn’t spare the sumac either, I love the smokiness it gives foods.
Thanks! I agree about sumac. Once I got a taste of it I was hooked. 🙂
This chicken is making my mouth water. It looks so crispy and good. It is roasted. I love that. Thanks for the recipe.
Thanks! Roasting is so much less trouble, right? 🙂
your roasted chicken has great colour!! I can only imagine how delicious it was! Marinades do so much for meats, and your marinade has a wonderful combination of flavors going on there!
have a great weekend
Dennis
The turmeric is great for adding color isn’t it? The soy sauce gave the chicken a nice color, too.
Thanks, Dennis. I hope you’re having a nice weekend yourself.
I have been making a conscious effort to use more turmeric these days as a reader sent me an article from Dr Weill touting its benefits; your chicken looks great, and I am reminded here to use soy sauce more often!
Marinated chicken is the best. I do it like you do–no measuring. It’s one of those things you have to learn eventually in the kitchen. I’ll have to look for that 21 seasoning salute next time I’m at Trader Joe’s.
Evan, the 21 Seasoning Salute from TJs is one of my favorites. You can add so much flavor without the salt. I try never to be without it. Thanks!
I spent the whole morning cleaning up stuff in the kitchen and sitting room area feeling like a too early spring cleaning too. Maybe it was the good weather that inspired us. For sure these chicken inspires me now to use my many unused spices. I feel I never dignify them of proper use. Have a great weekend!
Thanks, Sara. I hope you had a nice, restful weekend. 🙂
This chicken is just want I want for dinner…now! Lovely. Thanks!
You definitely are getting a head start! Great inspiration for a great flavorful dish!
I love inspirational recipes rather than exact ones — like you said, it’s hard to go wrong with a marinade. I love the warm golden hue the turmeric lends! Theresa
Theresa, thanks! The turmeric is a great addition for the color alone but it does add wonderful, too. 🙂
The start of the new year sounds like as good a time as any to start fresh and attack those cabinets and drawers. I always get this immense sense of satisfaction after I go through the house and get rid of all the junk that’s been accumulating, it’s a nice cleansing feeling isn’t?
Sylvie, it is a great feeling to clean house. However, I have a bit more to do. Glad to have gotten a few things out of the way, though. 🙂
Gorgeous chicken! Looks like some crispy skin – the best part!
Thanks, Amy. I’m almost embarrassed to say that I could eat a plateful of just crispy skin no matter how bad it would be for me. 🙂
Wow – I just want to eat your pictures it looks so good!
Thanks so much! 🙂
I want to eat your pictures too! I cleaned out my spice cabinet. Didn’t impress anyone but myself! http://homesandbabies.blogspot.com/2010/12/spicy-cabinet.html
Becky, that’s all that matters, I think. When I finally organized my spice cabinet a couple of years ago I was so happy. I don’t think my husband even noticed! 🙂
Wow, I just discovered your blog and love all the recipes I’ve seen so far… I’ve been searching for good dinner recipes and already have a bunch of things I want to try from here! Great job and thank you so much for sharing 🙂
Wow, thank you so much. Your words are music to my ears! Please let me know if you try any of my recipes here and how they work out for you. 🙂
Look at that beautiful color on that chicken! That skin…mmmm! Must have been a finger-licking good meal.
Hi Jean, Wow your chicken is a beautiful color and it looks perfectly prepared.
I will have to try your special marinade, I was going to write secret but it’s not secret anymore;-)
Hi, Patty! No, not so secret but I’m happy to share. 🙂
It’s funny because I too have been cleaning out closets and drawers. My spices are next. Thanks for the inspiration. GREG
I have been in the cleaning mood too. It has been cold and dreary in Austin, which has kept me in the house and made me want to organize. I love that this chicken calls for Tumeric. I’ve really grown to appreciate that spice over the past year, and I hear it has amazing benefits for your health. Thank you for sharing your recipe with me. I can’t believe the weekend is already over…I hope you have a fabulous start to your week!
Jean the first thing that caught my eye was how beautifully colored the chicken was! No wonder after reading the ingredient list. Great job. But please don’t remind me of cleaning my closet. It’s bursting at the seams!
This chicken looks scrumptious, perfect for my latest poultry craving. Happy New Year and cheers to a delicious 2011.