Roasted Chicken with Chorizo

Yesterday was Cinco de Mayo and like any good Irish Catholic girl – I wanted to make something with a little spice.  Truth be told – I wanted a cold vat of margaritas and an IV but the men like to eat.

I had a chicken to roast – and picked up some chorizo at the market.  I had some fajita seasoning from my Hamptons Lane Southwestern Fiesta box so I was ready to go.

I served this chicken with a side of rice with lime zest and black beans — seasoned with cumin…I also made a pull apart type of bread – stuffed with chorizo and cheese – it was a hit.  I sprinkled a little cilantro on the bread when it was pulled from the oven.

Roast Chicken with Chorizo

1 chicken – I take my chicken out of the fridge about 15 to 20 minutes before I put it into the oven (no one has died yet)
roughly 12 oz. of pork chorizo
1/2 stick of butter
Liberal amount of spices – I used a fajita seasoning mix (garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, cumin)

Preheat oven to 400.

Fry up chorizo until brown and cooked through.  After it is cooked I added a 1/2 stick of butter into the chorizo mix. This butter and chorizo bastes the bird while it’s cooking and gives you tasty juices to serve over your meat or rice.

Clean the chicken and pat it dry.  I seasoned liberally with the fajita seasoning mix – if you don’t have a special blend – mix up some salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and cumin (or whatever spices you like).  I sprinkled the blend into the cavity, on the outside of the skin and under the skin as well.

I let the chorizo butter mixture cool a bit and then I loosened the skin around the breast of the chicken and packed the chorizo mix under the skin – you can use your hand on top of the skin to spread the mixture out without breaking or tearing the skin.  I stuffed chorizo mix wherever I could get it (into thigh cavity etc.)

I roasted the bird about 60 minutes total.  Every ten minutes I kept checking it and basting it with the juices that ran from the bird.  After the bird has reached temperature – let it rest 15 minutes or more before slicing.

It was incredibly flavorful and moist.