Garlic Chicken with Vegetables

This is a nice dish that I had for dinner this week. I normally can't digest legumes but green beans are different. I like them, they are less bean and more stalk. Throw some spinach, sweet potato and parsnips on the plate as well and before you know it the plate is overflowing with a fine hefty meal. They can be buttery sweet when you use ghee but animal fat is also an option. I went with animal fat this week because I don't have ghee. Still lovey though, and the juices from the chicken help to caramelise the vegetables during cooking. The skin of the chicken is a crisp golden brown when cooked and the meat falls off the bone when you're eating it (off of the hands is best for the chicken part instead of a knife & fork - make sure to keep paper towels nearby if you're a messy eater). The image shows it before it goes in the oven. The recipe says an oven proof glass baking dish but I only have a ceramic one which is close enough as far as I'm concerned.

Garlic Chicken with Vegetables

Serves 4

Utensils:
glass oven proof baking dish

Ingredients:
1.5 medium onions halved then quartered
2 carrots cut into 2.5cm (1") rounds
100g (3.5oz) celery cut into 5cm (2") pieces
140g (5oz) green beans, ends trimmed and halved crosswise
3 tbsp ghee or animal fat
2 tsp rosemary
3 tsp sea salt
8 chicken thighs
4 garlic cloves
2 tbsp chopped thyme

Method:
Preheat the oven to 200C (400F/Gas 6).
Combine the vegetables, 1 tablespoon of ghee, the rosemary and  1 teaspoon of sea salt in a large bowl. Transfer to the baking dish and spread in an even layer.
Using the same bowl, toss together the chicken, remaining 2 teaspoons of salt, garlic, thyme and remaining 2 tablespoons of ghee.
Distribute the chicken evenly on top of the vegetables in the baking dish. Bake in the middle shelf for 1 hour.

Credit: Healthy Gut Cookbook by Gavin Pritchard & Maya Gangadharan.