LightWork, a Brighthill Magazine: Recipes: Lemon Roasted Chicken & Green Goddess Chicken & Pasta Salad

Recipes: Lemon Roasted Chicken and Green Goddess Chicken & Pasta Salad
Everyone is trying to be more economical these days, which is never a bad thing. One of the ways in which you can make your food dollar go further is to cook whole meats. For example, a whole chicken costs less than a buying chicken parts that are already cut up. Likewise, buying meat on the bone is cheaper than getting it deboned. In this issue, we present two recipes: how to make a whole roasted chicken and a great way to use the leftovers, particularly in the summer time. Lemon Roasted Chicken 1 whole baking chicken (if you have a large family, cook 2 for leftovers) 1 whole lemon garlic cloves lemon pepper salt Preheat oven to 350° F. Cut a lemon in half and stuff it in the cavity of the chicken, along with some garlic cloves. Season the chicken with lemon pepper and salt to taste. Place the chicken in a roasting pan with a rack. If you don't have a roasting pan, you can use a broiler pan; the object is to keep the chicken out of the drippings while it cooks. Bake at 350° F for the first hour (or longer—up to 1½ hours—if it's a large bird or you are cooking more than one). Turn the heat up to 425° F for the last half hour to crisp the skin and brown the chicken. When the chicken's done, let it rest for at least 10 minutes before carving. Green Goddess Chicken & Pasta Salad You can use store bought dressing, or try the recipe here, which is a slightly modified version of the recipe found in the Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook . We prefer to use cilantro in the dressing. For the dressing: ½ cup low-fat cottage cheese ¼-½ cup chopped fresh cilantro, watercress, or flat-leaf parsley 3 Tbsp fat-free milk 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice 1 Tbsp fresh dill 1 Tbsp fresh chives 1 Tbsp light mayonnaise 1-2 garlic cloves, depending on taste 1 tsp anchovy paste (alternatively, use capers) paprika and salt to taste Combine all ingredients in a blender and process. If needed, add 1-2 Tbsp more milk. Cover and refrigerate. For the salad: 4 cups cooked angel hair pasta 2-3 cups leftover chicken, cut into pieces 3 green onions, chopped 1 grated carrot 1 celery stalk, chopped ½-1 cup green goddess dressing Combine all ingredients except dressing in a large bowl. Add just enough of the dressing to coat the ingredients without making it gloppy. Refrigerate for at least one hour and serve cold.

Recipes: Lemon Roasted Chicken and Green Goddess Chicken & Pasta Salad

Everyone is trying to be more economical these days, which is never a bad thing. One of the ways in which you can make your food dollar go further is to cook whole meats. For example, a whole chicken costs less than a buying chicken parts that are already cut up. Likewise, buying meat on the bone is cheaper than getting it deboned.

In this issue, we present two recipes: how to make a whole roasted chicken and a great way to use the leftovers, particularly in the summer time.

Lemon Roasted Chicken

1 whole baking chicken (if you have a large family, cook 2 for leftovers)
1 whole lemon
garlic cloves
lemon pepper
salt

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Cut a lemon in half and stuff it in the cavity of the chicken, along with some garlic cloves. Season the chicken with lemon pepper and salt to taste.

Place the chicken in a roasting pan with a rack. If you don't have a roasting pan, you can use a broiler pan; the object is to keep the chicken out of the drippings while it cooks.

Bake at 350° F for the first hour (or longer—up to 1½ hours—if it's a large bird or you are cooking more than one). Turn the heat up to 425° F for the last half hour to crisp the skin and brown the chicken.

When the chicken's done, let it rest for at least 10 minutes before carving.

Green Goddess Chicken & Pasta Salad

You can use store bought dressing, or try the recipe here, which is a slightly modified version of the recipe found in the Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook . We prefer to use cilantro in the dressing.

For the dressing:

½ cup low-fat cottage cheese
¼-½ cup chopped fresh cilantro, watercress, or flat-leaf parsley
3 Tbsp fat-free milk
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp fresh dill
1 Tbsp fresh chives
1 Tbsp light mayonnaise
1-2 garlic cloves, depending on taste
1 tsp anchovy paste (alternatively, use capers)
paprika and salt to taste

Combine all ingredients in a blender and process. If needed, add 1-2 Tbsp more milk. Cover and refrigerate.

For the salad:

4 cups cooked angel hair pasta
2-3 cups leftover chicken, cut into pieces
3 green onions, chopped
1 grated carrot
1 celery stalk, chopped
½-1 cup green goddess dressing

Combine all ingredients except dressing in a large bowl. Add just enough of the dressing to coat the ingredients without making it gloppy. Refrigerate for at least one hour and serve cold.