This is a one-pot wonder! By buying a whole chicken and cutting it up yourself, you’ll save a ton of money. Of course if you find legs, thighs and breasts on sale, which occasionally happens for 99 cents a pound, I’d take advantage of that. If your family prefers dark meat, feel free to use just that. My whole chicken was on sale for 89 cents a pound at Albertsons but even if it’s $1.29 a pound, which I can usually find, this meal will still come in under $10. I made my own Tuscan seasoning which is much cheaper than buying it already made. You’ll have leftover seasoning which you can store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 6 months. I got my spices at Penzeys and the Dollar Tree. Red bell peppers were on sale for 50 cents each at Safeway and my green bell pepper was on sale for 99 cents. You can use a mix or just one color of pepper. (I’d use whatever’s on sale.) You can prep this the night before and pop in the oven for dinner the next night. I make a roasted garlic sauce that we pour over the chicken and vegetables, using garlic cooked in olive oil and Italian dressing (store brand for 99 cents.) Once your garlic is cooked, you’ll pull it from the olive oil and add it to the dressing. Keep the garlic oil and use for another recipe, like sautéed veggies or over cooked pasta. You’ll want to make the roasted garlic Italian vinaigrette prior to starting your chicken dish.
TUSCAN CHICKEN AND VEGETABLES –
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 35-40 minutes *plus 30 minutes for garlic vinaigrette
Serves: 4 for approx. $7.16
Ingredients:
- 3 pounds chicken, cut up
- 1 pound baby potatoes (gold or red-I use red because they were on sale for 99 cents a pound)
- 1 large red onion, sliced
- 4 carrots, sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 1 tablespoon Tuscan seasoning (recipe to follow)
- 1/2 cup Italian salad dressing
- 1 head garlic, peeled and cloves broken apart
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley
Directions:
Heat oven to 400 degrees. In medium roasting pan, combine chicken, potatoes, onion, carrots, and peppers. Add Tuscan seasoning and vinaigrette (recipe to follow.) Roast for 35 to 40 minutes or until chicken is done, stirring once, halfway through cooking.
ROASTED GARLIC ITALIAN VINAIGRETTE –
Directions:
In a small oven-proof dish, add garlic cloves and olive oil. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30-45 minutes. Once cooked, using a slotted spoon, take garlic out and put in bowl. Save the garlic flavored olive oil for another use. Mash garlic, add Italian dressing and stir.
TUSCAN SEASONING –
Ingredients:
- 1/2 tablespoon fennel seeds
- 3 tablespoons dried basil
- 1 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 1/2 tablespoon Kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon dried rosemary
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
Directions:
Grind fennel seeds in spice grinder or mortar and pestle until coarsely ground. Combine with remaining ingredients in a small bowl. Store the remaining seasoning in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 6 months.