Our Mexican Inspired Thanksgiving Roasted Chicken and Vegetables

Happy Thanksgiving

Feliz dia de Accion de Gracias

My Corn Husk Dolls

Our Mexican Inspired Roasted Chicken and Vegetables

Because it was just going to be the two of us, Gordon and Myself for Thanksgiving this year, 2019, we decided to just roast a chicken in the oven with some vegetables. It was my idea, Julie’s, to have it be a bit Mexican in nature. I was referring to the spices but it was Gordon that took it one step further and added the Jalapeno and Poblano Peppers.

It ended up tasting MAGNIFICO!

It then dawned on me that what with immigration to America that Thanksgiving’s of the future will be different than they are now. Perhaps a Mexican inspired Chicken or Turkey will be the main course of the future? If that is so then we are right on target. After all, when we learn about the foods that were served at the first Thanksgiving they are no where near what we cook now. Time changes people and holidays and the foods that we cook for those holidays. I think it’s called evolution. The evolution of food, people, cultures, gatherings. Either way, we wish you the best and hope that you have many reasons to be thankful for now, and the future.

The greatest feasts are when we bring many different cultures together with their foods and share with each other.

Isn’t that what Thanksgiving is all about? Isn’t that the meaning that came about from the Pilgrims and Indians coming together to feast? I would like to think so.

Happy (Feliz) Thanksgiving (dia de Accion de Gracias)

Julie and Gordon

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Grammaw Nell’s Corn Bread Dressing Cups

If you were to ask me, Julie, what is my favorite part of Thanksgiving I will always say ‘the dressing.’ In the south we do not do ‘stuffing’, we do ‘dressing.’ We dress a turkey, not stuff it.

Here Gordon is making my Grammaw’s Dressing.

If you would like the recipe:

Corn Bread, Cast Iron Skillet, Dressing, and Tradition

Just click on the link above and scroll down this post until you will come across the recipe.

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Here we just added the dressing to our muffin tins.

It ended up being the right portion per serving.

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Gordon Making The Dressing

Normally we would add this Dressing to a Cast Iron Skillet to bake.

But here we are adding the Dressing to a Muffin tin.

Ready for the Oven

Perfectly Delicious!

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I just wanted to suggest that you can buy the Sprout’s Jalapeno Cheddar Muffins as any substitute to a Mexican inspired Thanksgiving. They are a favorite of ours and delicious!

They are kind of like a pull-apart Monkey Bread

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Now to Roast our Chicken and Vegetables

Roasting Vegetable Ingredients:

3 Tbsp. Bacon Grease

20 Yellow Potatoes – Sliced in half

6 Carrots – Peeled, sliced in half and cut to 3 inch sections

4 Parsnips – Sliced in half and cut to 3 inch sections

4 Jalapeno Peppers – Halved and seeds removed

2 Poblano Peppers – Halved, seeds removed, and sliced into large pieces

2 Chorizo Sausages- Sliced into 2 inch sections

1/2 Lime – sliced in half

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Cooking Microwave Bacon for the Grease

(I think we had bacon sandwiches the night before. We saved the grease just for this.)

Jalapeno and Poblano Peppers

Bacon Grease From the Microwave to the Roasting Pan

Gordon reheated the bacon grease in order to place it into our roasting pan.

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All That Delicious Bacon Grease

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Our Thanksgiving Vegetables

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Begin by washing your potatoes then slicing them in half.

Place them in your large roasting pan and mix them around in the bacon grease.

Wash your carrots as well and slice off the end and tops as shown.

Slice the carrots in sections of about 3 inches long and place them in the roasting pan. To keep all the vegetables the same size, slice the larger pieces in half which will let them cook evenly.

Do the same thing with your parsnips.

Now slice your Jalapeno’s and Poblano peppers in half, removing the seeds. Place four Jalapeno peppers and both Poblano peppers into the roasting pan.

Remove your Chorizo from the plastic and slice it in two inch sections as shown.

Pictured are all the vegetables and Chorizo which will be roasted under the chicken.

Now for the ingredients inside and outside the chicken.

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Remove the Roaster Chicken from the plastic wrapping, remove the neck, giblets, heart, and liver packet inside the chicken’s cavity. Rinse the chicken inside and out with cold water to remove any blood and other unwanted items. Let the chicken drain well and pat dry with paper towels. Be sure to sanitize everywhere the chicken touched to include where your hands touched during this procedure.

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Mexican Inspired Chicken Ingredients:

1 Large Roaster Chicken

2 Jalapeno Peppers – Sliced in half and de-seeded

1 Poblano Pepper – Sliced in half, de-seeded and sliced into chunks

1 1/2 Limes – Quartered

2 Cloves Garlic

2 Rosemary Sprigs

1 Bunch Parsley

3 Tbsp Olive Oil

Ground Thyme

Dried Thyme Leaves

Onion Powder

Rubbed Sage

Chili Powder

Sweet Paprika

Smoked Paprika

Salt

Worcestershire Black Pepper (See photo of spices.)

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Loosen the chicken’s skin with your fingers by placing them between the breast meat and the skin. Then slide four jalapeno halves under the skin evenly on each side.

Place your lime wedges inside the chicken’s cavity.

Here you can see the jalapeno slices under the chicken’s skin.

Then place your whole garlic cloves and Rosemary sprigs inside the cavity.

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Then place your bunch of parsley inside the cavity.

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Drizzle ~1 Tbsp. of olive oil into the cavity.

Add your Ground and Dried Thyme not shown, then your Onion Powder to the inside and outside of the chicken.

Then add your Sage and Chili Powder to both the inside and outside of the chicken.

Now add your Sweet, and Smokey Paprika (not shown), to the inside and outside of the chicken.

Lastly, add your salt and Worcestershire Black Pepper (not shown), to the inside and outside of the chicken.

Place your roasting rack over the vegetables then place your seasoned roasting chicken on it as shown.

Using about a 10 inch piece of Butchers twine, tie the legs together as shown using a square knot or any knot you know.

Here is the chicken and all the ingredients ready to be roasted!

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Into The Oven

Roast the chicken and vegetables in a 425’F oven for ~1 hour 30 min. or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 160’F. I use a digital thermometer to check the temperature when it has cooked at least 1 hour and 15 min.

Check the chicken every 30 minutes stirring the vegetables at each interval.

When the chicken is at the color you desire, cover it with aluminum foil to stop it from browning and continue to cook the chicken until it reaches temperature.

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Here the chicken is roasted nicely and the vegetables have been cooking in the chicken drippings and the bacon grease.

Remove the chicken from the roasting pan and set aside to rest. Let the chicken rest at least 20 min. or more to allow the super heated juices to settle back into the chicken, cooking it to 165’F. Doing this will also provide you with a juicy chicken. If you slice into the chicken before it has properly rested, the juices will run out creating a dry chicken. Mix the vegetables well in all the juices before serving them.

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Egg Noodles Cooked in Chicken Broth

This is a personal favorite of mine. It has been a staple on our holiday table since I was born. My Great-Grandmother Honnie would always make them. Not a traditional Thanksgiving or Christmas item, it was just something that she insisted on every year. And now so do I!

Happy Thanksgiving to All!

Julie and Gordon

Just Hurry Up! I’m Hungry!

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P.S. Something Extra!

Easy Mexi-Corn Bread

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This is an easy cornbread recipe that can be used however you may like to use it. For example, I am using a pottery baker to bake the cornbread in. But, you can use whatever you may like to use. A cast iron skillet, for example.

The ingredients are also easy……..

I am using two ready made packages of cornbread mix that require one egg each, and some milk. I am just following those package directions. I am also adding a can of MEXICORN to add to this batter.