Waste not, want not. Cooking in the times of covid-19

Cooking in these difficult times requires thinking about how to use the ingredients that you have on hand and how to make the most of them so there is less waste. Since I’m going to the supermarket much less often these days (maybe once a week)  I find myself looking in the refrigerator and seeing what needs to be used up at the end of the week and if it’s a little less than perfectly fresh how can I still use it so it doesn’t end up in the trash. I may not have an ingredient that I would normally use for that particular dish but rather than running out to grab it I’ll substitute for something I do have on hand. For this easy chicken dish, I found one leek, a half a red pepper and some white mushrooms that were on their last legs along with an assortment of fresh herbs and some nice chicken thighs and so I threw them all together in this one pan dish that takes just minute to prepare. If you don’t have peppers or don’t like them, just leave them out or substitute some carrots or celery. Use your imagination and something delicious will result. 

Easy One Pan Roast Chicken with Leeks and Peppers

Serves 2

 4 organic, free range bone in chicken thighs (or breasts if you prefer white meat) 

1 large leek, green part and root trimmed off and sliced into rounds and washed well and dried 

1 large sweet red bell pepper, seeds and ribs removed and sliced thinly

6-8 white button mushrooms, stems trimmed and cut into halves or quarters if very large

4 cloves of garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped

3 sprigs of fresh rosemary, leaves only

4 sprigs of thyme, leaves only

4 sprigs of oregano, leaves only

1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon of kosher salt or to taste

1/2 teaspoon of ground black pepper

2 teaspoons of Aleppo pepper or 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes (optional)

• Preheat the oven to 400°F/ 200°C.
• Trim the chicken of any excess skin and fat and place in a shallow baking dish or rimmed baking sheet.
• Sprinkle the leeks, peppers, mushrooms, garlic, herbs, salt, black pepper, And Aleppo pepper if using over and around the chicken pieces. Drizzle with the olive oil and place into the preheated oven. 
• Bake for approximately 45-60 minutes depending on the size of the chicken pieces or until they reach an internal temperature of 165°F/75°C . 
• Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 10-15 minutes the serve with a nice green salad.