Nutrition Spotlight: Eat for Overall Health (Roast Chicken with Turmeric Rice and Roasted Vegetables)

Healthy meals don’t have to break the bank or take forever.  Good nutrition is a key component to a healthy body.  Processed, refined, and fast foods often make gut problems and inflammation worse, so do yourself a favor and make at least one good meal a week. Leftovers can be changed up and modified so you aren’t eating the same thing every day. 

This baked chicken with turmeric rice and roasted vegetables is delicious, nutritious, and can be cooked in about an hour.  Use leftovers “as is” or make a few changes for chicken salad, burrito bowls, tacos, sandwiches, chicken soup, or to make your own chicken stock. 

Baked Chicken

1 4-5lb (organic) chicken

Olive Oil

2 tsp seasoned salt (I make my own to avoid excess chemicals and additives)

2 tsp organic garlic powder

2 tsp organic onion powder

2 tsp Kinder's organic buttery steakhouse seasoning 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Remove giblets and neck from bird.

Rinse under cold water and pat dry.

Rub front and back with olive oil and seasonings.

Cover center hole of bunt pan with tin foil.

Place chicken on middle cone in the bundt pan and sit upright.

Add ¾ inch of water to the bottom of bundt pan.

Bake uncovered for 45-65 minutes until browned and internal temp is 165 degrees.

Remove from oven, remove from bundt pan, and let rest for 5-10 minutes before carving.

Use pan drippings to make gravy if desired. 

**Note: If you do not have a bundt pan you can use a beer or soda can to prop up the bird in a roasting pan.  Can should be ½ filled with liquid (beer, water, or chicken broth) for stability.

**It is easier to take chicken off the bone when it is still warm.  You may want to remove all the meat from the carcass even if you will not eat it all right away.  It can be put in the fridge for use in the next few days or can be chopped and put in the freezer for later use.  If you want to make chicken stock later, freeze the bones in a freezer bag- you can also add veggies such the ends of onions, carrots, mushroom stems, celery, etc to make it easier down the line.

**I have slowly moved over to all organic spices and herbs, getting organic as I replace empty jars.  A couple of dollars difference every once in a while, (for replacements), is much easier on the budget than trying to replace everything at once.  

Copycat Lawry’s Seasoned Salt

Base mix

1/3 cup fine salt (Morton Popcorn Salt)

3 ½ tsp superfine sugar

1 ½ tsp cornstarch

Herbs & Spices

1 ½ tbsp celery salt (optional)

1 tbsp paprika

1 ½ tsp onion powder

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp ground turmeric

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

1. There will be a slightly different color due to the absence of coloring agents.
2. Measure all base mixture ingredients into a small bowl.
3. Combine until well blended.
4. Add herbs and spice ingredients to base mixture into the same bowl.
5. Stir and press with a fork for at least 2 minutes to release and infuse the spices into the base mixture.
6. Store mixture in a tightly sealed container to preserve freshness.

**We use organic spices (and cornstarch) when possible**

Turmeric Rice

• 1 cup long grain rice (white rice like basmati or jasmine)
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp coconut oil (or olive oil)
• ¼ cup onion (white or yellow onion, finely diced or grated)
• 1 tsp garlic (finely minced)
• 2 tsp turmeric
• 1 ½ cups chicken broth
• 1 bay leaf
• ¼ tsp dried thyme
• ¼ tsp ground ginger
• ¼ tsp each, salt & pepper (to taste)

• Rinse the 1 cup long grain rice in a fine mesh sieve under cool running water until the water runs clear. Set aside.
• In a heavy bottom saucepan, melt the 1 tablespoon butter with the 1 tablespoon coconut oil or olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the diced ¼ cup onion and minced 1 teaspoon garlic and sauté until tender and opaque, about 4-5 minutes.
• Add the rinsed rice and 2 teaspoon turmeric to your saucepan and stir to coat.
• Add the 1 ½ cups chicken broth, 1 bay leaf, ¼ teaspoon dried thyme, ¼ teaspoon ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon each, salt & pepper. Stir to combine, then bring to a boil. Cover with a tight-fitting lid, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 17 minutes. 
• Remove the lid and fluff the rice with a fork once cooked. Serve immediately or cover until ready to serve.

**Rinsing the rice is an important step, don’t skip it! Rinsing the rice removes the excess starch from the outside of the rice, so it cooks up perfectly fluffy with visible grains of rice and it’s never mushy or starchy!

**Want to make this rice in an Instant Pot? 

• Complete Step 1 as normal. When you’re ready to sauté, use the Sauté function on your Instant Pot and add the butter and olive oil. Then cook the aromatics as directed, and add the rice, turmeric, chicken broth, and other spices.

• When you’re ready to cook – seal and lock the lid, set it to Manual, High Pressure, and cook for 5 minutes. When finished, allow to naturally release for 10 minutes, then quick release any remaining pressure. Fluff the rice with a fork and serve immediately!

Roasted Vegetables

Vegetables of choice (cauliflower, broccoli, brussels sprouts, onion, potatoes).

Olive Oil

Seasonings of choice (I typically use garlic powder and onion powder)

Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

Chop or slice vegetables into uniform pieces (no bigger than 1 inch) and place on sheet pan.

Lightly drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat. Season lightly and toss.  Season again (lightly) and spread out evenly on pan so they roast (if they are too close together, they steam instead of roast).

Place in oven about 30 minutes into chicken cooking and roast.  Pull out after 20 minutes and toss/flip. Spread out again.  Remove at desired level of doneness.