| Prep: 15 mins | Cook: 1 hr 30 mins | Difficulty: Medium | Serves: 6 |
This Roasted Chicken with Borage recipe seems a departure from my usual mountain-inspired fare, and it is. But it captures the universal love of a good roast and puts a unique fruit spin on it. A juicy chicken, basted with wine and olive oil, and topped with irresistible citrus flavors. When paired with the peculiar but delightful taste of borage leaves, the result is homey, comforting, refreshing, and decidedly gourmet.
An Unexpected Twist on a Classic
My taste for game meats and trout, might not make you think of me whipping up a roast chicken in my kitchen. But this isn’t your typical Roasted Chicken–it’s a feast for your senses. It pulls from the bright, citrus notes of lemon, combines it with the unique flavor of borage, a leafy green that’s been celebrated for its health benefits including anti-inflammation and skin health, and infuses it all into the succulent, roasted chicken.
Perfect Pairings and Substitutions
While the dish itself can easily stand alone, this chicken pairs delightfully with a rustic, hearty roasted beet salad, or a simple mixed-green salad. If you can’t source borage, fear not. You can substitute it with spinach or chard. The result will be slightly divergent, but still delicious.
I must give credit where it’s due–Gordon, my significant other, was the enthusiastic taste tester for this recipe. His love for a good roast chicken, but a wish for something a tad different, was the spark behind creating this recipe. Injecting some of my mountain kitchen ethos, with its emphasis on truthfulness to ingredients and flavors, resulted in this Roasted Chicken with Borage that sets a warm, inviting, yet adventurous table.
Nutrition Packed in Flavor
But it’s not just about flavor. This dish also brings an array of health benefits to your dinner table. Chicken is a great source of lean protein, which is crucial to building and repairing tissues, while olive oil offers healthy monounsaturated fats, key players in heart health. Lemon, besides offering a burst of citrus freshness, is packed with vitamin C, known for its immune-boosting properties. And, of course, the borage–a powerhouse filled with fatty acids that promotes skin health and helps reduce inflammation.
So next time you’re looking to twist a classic, why not try out this Roasted Chicken with Borage recipe? It’s an adventurous, delicious, and healthy choice for your home.
What You’ll Need
- 1 medium chicken (about 4 pounds)
- 2 cups borage leaves
- 3 lemons
- 5 cloves of garlic
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup white wine
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon sugar
Method
Step One
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove any giblets from the chicken and pat it dry with paper towels.
Step Two
Season the chicken generously with salt and pepper both inside and out. Rub it with a clove of garlic, then stuff the inside with the remaining garlic and the borage leaves.
Step Three
Next, squeeze the juice of two lemons over the chicken. Cut the third lemon into quarters and place them around the chicken in your roasting pan.
Step Four
Pour the olive oil over the chicken. Sprinkle it with sugar to help the skin turn nicely golden in the oven.
Step Five
Put the chicken in your preheated oven and roast it for about 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Step Six
In the meantime, take your white wine and bring it to a simmer in a small saucepan. Let it reduce to about half of its original volume, which should take about 15 minutes. Set this aside.
Step Seven
Once the chicken is fully cooked, remove it from the oven. Let it rest for 10 minutes, then carve it up into serving pieces.
Step Eight
Drizzle the chicken with the reduced white wine and serve. Enjoy your Roasted Chicken with Borage!
