Orange Balsamic Chicken with Roasted Root Veggies

One of the main reasons I hear people say that they don't do organic poultry is because of the cost, and rightfully so. Yes, it can be very pricey. But there are ways to stretch a buck when it comes to organic chicken. First, and most important to me, is to always buy a cut with the bone in! Generally when you cook meat with the bone in, it ends up tasting better because cooking on the bone helps retain the moisture of the meat. It also adds great flavor! I got these organic chicken drumsticks for $1.99 a pound! Also, when you buy the meat with the bone in, you can re-purpose those bones into a delicious, nutritious, no-fuss homemade stock! This is also a cost-saver, as a quality stock can be quite expensive. Next, buy the whole bird! I can usually find whole organic chicken for around $2.29 per pound. But you have to know where to look. Local farmers at the farmer's market usually have a great price on chickens, as well as do warehouse stores like Costco. And they will usually go on sale about every 6 weeks or so, so when they do go on sale, buy a few! Stock up! You can serve some of the chicken for dinner, and save some for sandwhiches or chicken salad for your kid's school lunch the next day. This meal was particulaly cheap because I served it with roasted carrots, potatoes and onions. You can't get much cheaper than that! And it's all in one pot! Major Bonus! Here's the recipe:

Ingredients:
-1-2 lbs of chicken drumsticks (depending on the size of your family)
-2 onions, cut into eighths
-6-8 medium sized carrots, cut into 2 inch chunks
-6-8 small-medium sized potatoes (I used baby yukons) cut into 2 inch chunks
-4-5 cloves of garlic, peeled and smashed
-4 tbsp coconut oil or butter (melted), whichever you prefer
-2 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
-1 orange
-1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
-sea salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
-Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.
-In a large mixing bowl, toss all of your veggies and garlic in 2 tbsp of your oil or butter, 1 tbsp of the rosemary, half of your balsamic vinegar, and some sea salt and pepper to taste. Once everything is well coated, pour into a large roasted dish. I just used my 8x11 glass dish.
-Zest the orange and set the zest aside. Slice the orange into thin slices and place the slices on top of the veggies.
-In the same mixing bowl you used to toss the veggies, place your chicken, the remainder of your oil, the other tbsp of rosemary, the other 1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar, the reserved orange zest, and some sea salt and pepper. Toss to coat.
-Place the chicken legs on top of the veggies and orange slices.
-Roast uncovered in the oven for 40-45 minutes until the chicken is nicely browned and the juices run clear.
-At this time, remove the chicken from the pan and set aside to rest. Your veggies will still be a bit firm, so give them a stir and return them to the oven for an additional 15 mintes or until cooked to your liking. Enjoy!

*Please use all organic ingredients when possible.

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