Three ways to chicken out

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If December is all about celebrating, January is about getting back to the basics, especially in the kitchen. Of course, after holiday shopping and entertaining, that directive also applies to the family budget. January also serves to remind us that, although the days are getting longer, winter still has a little sting in its tail. In the face of all this, you could do worse than roasting a chicken. A whole roasted chicken is comfort food at its best; easy to cook, it can become three separate meals (the chicken may not be a noble bird, but it is certainly a versatile and economical one). Leftovers provide protein to a winter salad, and the bones make a soothing stock to ward off the winter chills.

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CITRUS QUINOA CHICKEN SALAD
Rinse 1 cup quinoa in a fine sieve and cook in a pot of boiling water for 12 minutes, or until just tender. Drain well in the sieve, return to the pot and cover with a tea towel; set aside to cool. Put in a salad bowl with 1-2 cups chopped or shredded roast chicken, 1 orange, peeled and chopped, 1 avocado, peeled and diced, ¼ cup finely chopped purple onion and a handful of torn cilantro. In a small jar, shake together ¼ cup canola oil, 2-3 tbsp lime juice or rice vinegar, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, 1 tsp honey and ¼ tsp curry powder or paste. Drizzle over the salad and toss to coat. If you like, sprinkle with toasted almonds. Serves 6.

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CHICKEN SOUP WITH LIME
Cover the chicken carcass with water and bring to a simmer; cook for 30 minutes, remove from the heat and, when cool enough to handle, strain, pulling any meat off the bones for the soup. Sauté a finely chopped small onion in a drizzle of oil until soft, add a few crushed garlic cloves and half a minced, seeded jalapeno, and cook for a minute. Add the meaty stock, the juice of two limes, salt, pepper and a pinch of oregano, and simmer for 20 minutes. (If you like, throw in a handful of dry noodles, too.) Serve hot, topped with crumbled feta. Serves 4.

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ROASTED CHICKEN
Pat dry a whole roasting chicken with paper towels and place in a baking dish or cast iron skillet. Drizzle with olive or canola oil and rub all over the skin to coat. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and the leaves pulled from a few sprigs of thyme. Put half a lemon into the cavity along with a small handful of fresh thyme, rosemary, and/or parsley. Roast at 425˚F for 1 hour (for a 3-4 lb. bird) to 1½ hours (for a 5-6 lb. bird), or until the juices run clear and the joints wiggle in their sockets. If you like, add some diced or new potatoes and baby carrots to the pan around the bird halfway through the cooking time. Let it rest for 10 minutes before carving. Serves 4.

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