Roasted Chicken with Dill-Garlic Butter

  We stand in awe of dill.

 What other herb inspires home cooks to stand in excruciatingly hot kitchens on 100 degree days just so they can look forward to biting into crisp, delicious pickles eight weeks later?

On the other hand, we lament that this delicious fernlike herb is highly under-utilized in most kitchens.
Sure, dill is great for making pickles. But, it’s also indispensable for pairing with cheeses, adding to breads, enhancing the flavor of vegetables, and complementing the briney notes in feta cheese or seafood.

 In this case, it really shines when matched with butter, garlic, and lemon to create an amazing roasted chicken.

It takes just a few basic techniques to produce a beautiful dill-scented bird with crisp, salty skin, moist breast meat, and dense, meaty dark meat. First, rubbing the exterior of the bird with seasoned butter assists in ensuring a beautiful brown crisp skin.

Slipping some of the butter under the skin of the breast helps to keep it moist and adds flavor to the otherwise mild meat. And finally, adding lemon quarters and extra dill to the cavity seasons the pan juices as they flow from the bird into the roasting pan.

This chicken is scrumptious served alongside fresh green beans and mashed potatoes for a weeknight dinner. But, leftovers make phenomenal chicken salad, so consider roasting two birds while you're at it... just to be on the safe side :)

Roasted chicken with Dill-Garlic Butter

©BURP! Where Food Happens

Using and Preserving Summer Herbs: Dill

And here to tell you about one of her favorite herbs is our dear friend, Amy, of Very Culinary...  

*wild applause*

Ah, Dill…
Isn’t it pretty?

Unlike my hair, which is curly and unruly (and will never know the feeling of a comb running through it), Dill is…wispy. Slender. Delicate. Of course, I’m sure that Dill is jealous of Parsley’s fullness, and Rosemary’s strength, but the grass is always greener.

Back to my Dill love…

When we lived in Minnesota, I had a pretty respectable garden. Tomatoes and peppers took up a lot of space, but I made certain that two planter boxes were dedicated to fresh herbs. Some would lose out from year to year – I never seemed to use enough of the Sage or Marjoram – but Dill was never on the chopping block. Oh no. Dill is a staple in my house.

It has a simple, crisp, and refreshing flavor. I prefer fresh leaves, rather than dried, to get the most flavor. Apparently Dill has medicinal properties, too. I learned that the seeds contain an oil, which helps relax the muscles in our digestive tract. Teas are made with dill seed to relieve indigestion and nausea. And rumor has it, that it’s even good at curing hiccups. Hm. I don’t know. All I know is that it tastes good.

I like it best paired with salmon, yogurt, and potatoes. Like in these recipes…which are also staples in my house:

Salmon Burgers

Dill Potato Salad

Since relocating, and currently “borrowing” (as my 4YO says) the house we’re in now, I temporarily don’t have a garden anymore. No more tomatoes or peppers, no more onions, no more strawberries. Whimper, whimper. BUT, there’s no excuse not to grow fresh herbs. All those fellas need is a decent pot with good soil. Done.

So, who is this Amy person, anyhow?  And how did her recipes get over here on the Burp! blog?
Well... Amy is awesome. She's a mom (with cute kids). And a food blogger (what did you expect?). And she's amazing and funny.  She makes a seriously hilarious video. And her BBQ Deviled Eggs are to die-for.  So, we asked her to write something about her favorite herb -- which just happens to be dill.

Honestly, you'll love her. Just check out her blog at Very Culinary. I promise you won't be sorry!

This guest post is part of our Summer 2010 Herb Series: Using and Preserving Herbs. Stay tuned every Friday for more hints, tips, and tricks on how to use summer's bounty!


©BURP! Where Food Happens