Spork and Skewer

It seems that summer is over. The days are getting noticeably shorter, back to school ads have been showing up in the paper for a while now, my summer job has ended, and I have been preparing my classroom for the upcoming school year. No more lazy afternoons for me. Although this is a little difficult to admit, I think I am honestly okay with the transition. It feels good to be out in the world accomplishing something worthwhile once again. Sure, I don't get that afternoon nap, but I think I sleep better at night because of it. And...I really do like fall. The days get a little cooler (which will feel good after this years HOT summer). The leaves are pretty, and of course, I love fall flavors. That's what I was thinking when I found a similar recipe in a past issue of Cooking Light. Roasted chicken is always comforting and delicious, but when you add the sweetness from the pears and shallots with the nutty walnuts, well, you have yourself a delectable seasonal meal.

Printable Recipe 




























Herb Roasted Chicken with Shallots, Pears, and Walnuts



To begin, preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Then, rinse and dry your chicken, and place in a large roasting pan. You will need room for your pears and shallots around the chicken.





You will want to stuff the chicken with your halved emon (squeeze it in the cavity first), a sprig of thyme, a sprig of rosemary, and a garlic clove. Salt and pepper the cavity, as well.





For your rub, chop the remaining two cloves of garlic, add the leaves from the second thyme sprig, and then add the rest of the rosemary (chopped). Mix it in with some salt and pepper and the olive oil. You could also add the zest of your lemon, though I just thought of that now.





You are going to rub this all over under the skin of the chicken. Like this.







Salt and pepper the outside of the chicken, and place breast side up in pan. Add pear slices and shallots around the chicken. Place the roaster in your preheated oven.





Cook for twenty-five minutes; remove from oven, and add wine and 1/2 cup water to pan. Baste chicken, and return to oven for an additional 30 minutes.





After 20 minutes, stir pears and shallots, and baste the chicken once again. Add walnuts, and return to oven for 10 minutes.






Remove from oven; insert thermometer, and check to be sure the thigh meat has reached 165 degrees. If so, transfer chicken to cutting board and cover loosely with foil. Transfer pears and shallots to a serving dish. Cover with foil.




Depending on your roaster, you can either make the sauce in your roaster, or you may need to transfer them to a saucepan. Remove layer of grease from top; turn to medium high heat, and reduce sauce to about 1 cup. Reduce heat and add sherry vinegar and honey. Remove from heat, and stir in walnut oil. Serve over chicken. Enjoy!