Lemon Herb Roasted Chicken & An Update on My Absence

Here's a recipe for Lemon Herb Roasted Chicken that I made 3 years ago while I was experimenting with my Herbed Grain Free Stuffing recipe and test-driving it before my first grain free Thanksgiving back in 2012. It's hard to believe this will be my 4th grain-free Thanksgiving. In that post, back in November 2012, I posted about how I made this recipe; but since I was recently asked if I had a roasted chicken recipe (and she couldn't find it on here), I realized that I needed to separate the recipe and post to make it easier to find on its own (since it was originally included with my stuffing recipe). I used a big 7-pound roaster chicken, but you can use whatever size you want, you just may need to increase or decrease the roasting time based on the size chicken you use.

As a side note, you may have noticed that I haven't posted in a couple of weeks. I have been sidelined the last couple of weeks with a very painful tooth issue that unfortunately is still ongoing. If you've never experienced severe tooth pain before, consider yourself lucky...VERY lucky. I used to be in the "no tooth-pain club" but unfortunately I am now a member. For the better part of the last 2 weeks I have been in some type of pain ranging from borderline tolerable to totally intolerable. Here is basically what's going on (for those of you that didn't see my post this past week on Facebook). My tooth pain began two weeks ago Sunday. The earliest I could get in to see the dentist was Thursday. They found an abscess at the base of the root of my back bottom molar along with a hairline crack in the tooth. They started me on antibiotics for 7 days. They tried to get me in to see an endodontist that afternoon, to no avail. I finally got an appointment for the following Wednesday (yes, 6 days later). The pain, swelling and infection spread to my lymph glands on the left side and the pain radiated to my left sinuses and cheek bones, my ear, jaw, etc. You would think that after almost 1 week of antibiotics, that would have cleared the infection by the time my root canal appointment was the following week. It did help my lymph glands but the pain was still unbearable at times. I went for my root canal this past Wednesday; it did not go well.

I was asked on Facebook how I was doing...here is the response I gave someone this morning when asked how I was feeling...

I'm hanging in there. Believe it or not, I'm still in pain, unfortunately. During my root canal Wednesday, they were about 90% done and when they put the meds in the tooth before filling the roots, the meds drained out through the root and wouldn't hold. They said if they finished it, the root canal would not hold because of the abscess at the root (despite being on antibiotics for a week prior). They closed the tooth without finishing the root canal so it is essentially empty; put me on stronger antibiotics for 7 days and told me they have to let the infection and inflammation rest for 14 days (which is the day before Thanksgiving) and they wouldn't be there that day so I have to go back on November 30. I'm just not sure the pain I'm still experiencing now is normal or not? I have a high pain threshold and don't know how much of the pain is the infection or how much is the trauma with all the needles they had to put in my mouth and holding my mouth open for 1 hour (it was the furthest back molar on bottom left). So, today I am trying to get along without pain meds and just Tylenol (can't take NSAIDs). They told me I can't chew on that side and have to be very careful since it's an empty more fragile tooth now. I'll need a crown after they finish. To say I'm frustrated and disappointed is an understatement. But, I will persevere! 

So that is why you haven't seen me around much. I am trying to get back in the swing of things and so sorry that I haven't been able to post the last couple of weeks...particularly with all the yummy Thanksgiving recipes that I have. So, I'm working on a collection now of my Thanksgiving recipes to put together to make it easier for you to find and get ideas. Also, today I worked on a new recipe that will be rolled out next week...you are going to love it! I don't want to jinx myself but I've been functioning pretty well without pain meds today, only regular Tylenol, so I'm hoping that's a good sign. November 30th still seems like a long way off to finish my root canal so hoping that the pain will get better soon. I guess December will be spent working on getting the tooth crowned! Keeping my fingers crossed! Make sure you keep your eyes peeled because I'm putting together a Thanksgiving collection this afternoon. Until then, enjoy the recipe below for Lemon Herb Roasted Chicken that I made almost 3 years ago (11/17/12). Enjoy!

Before roasting

Lemon Herb Roasted Chicken

Ingredients:

6 to 7-pound roaster chicken
2 carrots, cut into chunks
2 celery stalks, including leaves, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 lemon, cut in half
1 small onion, cut in half
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary, divided
Few sprigs fresh thyme, divided (about 1 teaspoon)
About 1/4 cup fresh sage leaves, divided
3 tablespoons olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

In a large 6 to 7-quart dutch oven, scatter carrots and celery. Place chicken on top. Squeeze lemon halves over top of chicken, then place them inside chicken cavity. Place onion inside cavity along with 1 rosemary sprig, half the thyme and half of the sage leaves. 

Chop the remaining rosemary, thyme and sage. In a small bowl, combine chopped herbs, olive oil, and salt and pepper, to taste. Brush herbed oil over chicken. Cover and cook at 400 degrees F for the first 30 minutes; then reduce heat to 350 degrees F and uncover pot. Cook uncovered at 350 degrees for an additional 1-1/2 hours, or until done.