Lemon Roasted Chicken and Cauliflower ⋆ 100 Days of Real Food
This lemon roasted chicken and cauliflower recipe is another dish that’s easy enough to throw together for a busy weeknight meal, yet pretty enough to make for dinner guests as well! Simple to prep and cook in the oven, you’ll want to add this to your dinner rotation.
This is another dish that’s easy enough to throw together on a busy weeknight, yet pretty enough to make for dinner guests as well! I recently made this lemon roasted chicken and cauliflower recipe when my parents were in town (with a big salad on the side), and the serving platter was completely empty by the end of dinner. I absolutely love meals that are so much easier to make than they appear. 🙂
Also, don’t forget to make overnight chicken stock in your slow cooker with the leftover bones! When I purchased an organic whole chicken from the grocery store for this recipe I asked the butcher to cut it into parts for me, which he did at no charge. I was also left with some parts that we don’t typically eat so I threw those in the slow cooker (along with the cooked bones) for the stock as well.
So if you go this route, be sure you know what parts you are putting into the roasting pan before baking it. Your guests might be a little confused if you try to serve them roasted chicken back (eeek!). Okay, enough about that topic that frankly makes me a little uncomfortable!
That being said, don’t be afraid to try and butcher your whole chicken yourself, too. It’s a great skill to have in the kitchen!
Tips For Making This Lemon Roasted Chicken and Cauliflower Recipe
- If you have the time, pan sear the meat beforehand to lock in the juices before roasting
- If you use cast iron cookware, save dishes by browning the chicken in an oven safe pan that’s large enough to add the cauliflower to after
- Note: this recipe’s cooking time is based on a roasting pan; cooking time in cast iron pans may vary
- Fresh ingredients work best for this lemon roasted chicken and cauliflower recipe, but you can substitute with dry spices in a pinch
- For extra flavor, swap the water for chicken stock
- Serve on its own, or with a side dish like wild rice
How to Cook Lemon Chicken and Cauliflower in the Slow Cooker
Unfortunately, this recipe doesn’t translate well to the slow cooker if you want both chicken and cauliflower cooked together. The cauliflower will probably come out mushy and lose that roasted taste and texture. That being said, you can definitely make the lemon chicken in your crock pot and prepare the cauliflower on its own!
To cook just the chicken in a slow cooker, cut the water down to ⅓ of a cup and add the cut chicken to the crock pot. Season, then cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-7 hours. Serve with roasted cauliflower or cauliflower gratin.
