Roasted Chicken with Paleo-Diet Friendly Zucchini Stuffing
I always choose my whole chickens from Butcher Dave in Sechelt. They are raised in the Mennonite tradition, and are so delicious just roasted with olive oil. This recipe uses our Milanese Gremolata oil on the bird and in the stuffing. I served it with Rosemary Infused Roasted Vegetables.
Needed for this recipe:
Sunshine Coast Olive Oil Co. Milanese Gremolata Infused Olive Oil
Sea Salt (check out our sea salt collection)
Ingredients:
One small roasting chicken
¼ cup or so Sunshine Coast Olive Oil Co. Milanese Gremolata Infused Olive Oil
1 zucchini, grated and drained of excess water
1 onion, chopped
4 sundried tomatoes, drained of all oil, and patted dry then chopped finely**
1 celery stalk, chopped thinly
¼ cup pine nuts, lightly toasted
Sea Salt (check out our sea salt collection)
**most olive oil packed foods are packed in pomace or lampante grade olive oils. Though pomace oil does not have to be made in a food safe facility, it is legally considered ‘fit for human consumption’. It is made with high heat or chemicals that result in chemical changes (PAHs) associated with many health risks, including cancer. Lampante oil is an industrial oil not legally allowed to be sold as food, but ends up in many pre-packaged olive oil foods. I drain off excess ‘olive oil’ from pre-packaged foods and throw it away.
Recipe:
Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.
Sauté onion and celery in half your Milanese Gremolata Olive Oil (a couple of good glugs). After three minutes, add sun dried tomatoes and a sprinkle of salt. Sauté another two minutes. Give your grated zucchini one last squeeze, trying to get it as dry as possible. Gradually add zucchini to sautéed vegetables, stirring constantly. You may need to add a bit more Milanese Gremolata oil at this point. You want your zucchini to be crunchy, not wet or soggy. Once your zucchini is cooked, add the toasted pine nuts and set aside. Do not cover or it will get soggy.
To prepare the chicken, slide your fingers under the skin and separate it carefully from the flesh. Rub your remaining Milanese Gremolata olive oil and a little Himalayan pink sea salt between the skin and chicken meat. Rub inside the chest cavity as well as the outside.
When you are ready to put the chicken in the oven, stuff it with the zucchini stuffing. Tie your bird up or use mini skewers to pull the legs and wings into place.
Roast your chicken 15 minutes at this temperature, then turn the temperature down to 375 and roast another 25 minutes or so, depending on the size of the bird.
