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Paleo Roast Lemon Chicken with Maple Cauliflower Purée

A meal the family will love, but fancy enough to serve at dinner parties too! Paleo and Whole30 options offered.
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword easy dinner recipe, Paleo recipes, Whole30 recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Author Linda Spiker

Ingredients

For chicken: NOTE- if you have time, I always recommending brining chicken breasts so they are extra moist. Simply place 1/3 cup sea salt or kosher salt in a large bowl with six cups warm water, stir. Set chicken in water for 30 minutes. Pat dry and follow directions below.

  • 4 medium sized chicken breasts, bone in, skin on
  • 4 slices of lemon
  • 4 sprigs of fresh thyme
  • Sea salt
  • Freshly ground pepper
  • 2 small shallots peeled and sliced
  • 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons butter or ghee

For Cauliflower Purée:

  • 6 cups cauliflower florets
  • ¼ cup butter (or ghee for my W30 friends)
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup (Whole30/keto peeps can skip it)
  • Sea salt
  • Freshly ground pepper
  • 2 tablespoons parsley and pom seeds, or dried cranberries for garnish, if desired

Instructions

  • Prep all ingredients before starting

For chicken:

  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees and place oven rack in center position
  • Use your finger to separate one side of the skin from breast, leaving the opposite side connected (see photo)
  • Insert lemon slice and sprig of thyme under skin and pull skin back into place
  • Season both sides of chicken with sea salt and pepper to taste
  • Place a large skillet (preferably cast iron) on med/high heat
  • When pan is hot add olive oil. When oil is hot gently place chicken, skin side down, in pan
  • Cook for six minutes or so, until skin is nicely browned. Add sliced shallots to pan
  • Place pan into preheated oven, set timer for 20 minutes, when timer goes off, flip the chicken over and cook skin side up for 15 more minutes. While chicken cooks, steam cauliflower

Cauliflower prep:

  • Steam cauliflower in steamer until soft (10-12 minutes)
  • Place cauliflower. butter (or ghee) maple syrup, and sea salt, into a food processor and process until smooth.
    If using a hand held potato masher, allow a minute or two extra to get cauliflower pureed. When chicken is ready, place cauliflower mash onto a platter.

Finish chicken:

  • When chicken is ready remove from oven, slide the lemon slices and thyme sprigs out from under the skin, place chicken on top of cauliflower puree. Add 2 Tablespoons butter (or ghee) to pan and stir until melted, scraping any chicken bits off bottom of pan. If using cranberries instead of pomegranate seeds add to pan as well. When butter is melted, spoon drippings over chicken and cauliflower. If using parsley and pom seeds, sprinkle over chicken. Serve.