Roast Chicken - a simple easy twist on a classic

I am always struggling over what to make/bring for lunch. Last weekend, I decided to roast chicken using a recipe I saw in this month's Real Simple magazine. One of the reasons I like this magazine's recipes is that it gives me a slightly different take on some staples in my culinary routine. This one used chicken parts instead of an entire chicken, cutting down considerably on the cooking time.

Basically, you season the chicken parts with thyme, red pepper, salt and pepper and then place in a roasting pan with two cloves of chopped garlic and add loads of whole garlic cloves for good measure. These along with some orange zest and a halved orange in your pan and you have a nice new twist on the old lemon & rosemary chicken standby. The "official" recipe can be found at the link above, but once again, just wing it with whatever you have on hand; you really can't go wrong.

This recipe was "officially" called chicken with mushrooms and string beans, but I made this with caramelized brussels sprouts and onions. Now, I know I have said that I don't poach, blanch or boil in the past but I decided to try something new with one of my favorite vegetables, the brussel sprout - a veggie oft-mocked and rarely appreciated for its tasty leafy goodness.

After halving the brussels, I boiled them for about five minutes and then put in a colander to drain. Meanwhile, in a saute pan, I softened half of a white onion with some garlic. Once the onions began to brown, I added the brussel sprouts and seasoned with salt, pepper, garlic powder and nutmeg. I was tempted to drown my veggies in chicken stock (my culinary kryptonite), but I managed to avoid it long enough to get some good caramelization in the pan. The result was a delicious, new take on a side dish that I often take for granted.