A simple roast chicken

My favorite recipe is uncomplicated and flexible, calling for only salt, pepper and whatever herbs you like.

View in browser|nytimes.com November 6, 2024 Melissa Clark's salt-and-pepper roast chicken. Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times A simple roast chicken By Melissa Clark I'm always heartened by the sight of a roast chicken coming out of the oven. It's comforting, sustaining and thoroughly delicious. My favorite recipe is uncomplicated and flexible, calling for only salt, pepper and whatever herbs you have on hand. You roast the bird in a skillet to preserve the drippings and then, as the chicken rests on a cutting board, use those drippings to sauté whatever green vegetable you like — kale, spinach, green beans. Add a squeeze of lemon and some chile flakes and serve it all on top of Genevieve Ko's fluffy mashed potatoes or a bed of rice. Featured Recipe Salt-and-Pepper Roast Chicken View Recipe → If you're in the mood for noodles, Judy Kim's chile oil noodles with cilantro are supremely pleasing and spicy enough to clear your sinuses. For textural contrast, Judy suggests topping the slippery udon with store-bought fried shallots, an easy way to add both sweetness and crunch. Or maybe a pan of cheesy pasta would end the day nicely? Sarah Jampel's cheesy baked pumpkin pasta uses a mix of canned pumpkin purée and ricotta cheese as a soft contrast to the green kale strewn throughout. It's a gentle one-pan meal full of lovely autumnal flavors. If it's cold where you are, or if you or anyone in your household is a bit under the weather, you might be thinking of soup. You can use any leftover roast chicken plus the chicken carcass to make a broth for Ali Slagle's classic chicken noodle soup. Or, for something speedier and meatless, Eric Kim's quick tomato soup is a hearty, zesty childhood favorite, served with or without a grilled cheese sandwich on the side. And for dessert, Samantha Seneviratne's cream cheese brownies are a perfect weeknight pursuit, filled with bittersweet, tangy flavors. The recipe makes 16 bars, plenty to share with anyone in need of some sweetness. To get these and all the other recipes at New York Times Cooking, you'll need to subscribe. If you hit a technical snag, email the smart people at cookingcare@nytimes.com for help. And I'm at hellomelissa@nytimes.com if you want to send me a note. David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Breakfast for dinner is a classic move. For our weekly one-pot meal, try my shakshuka with feta any time you're in the market for a saucy, savory, meatless meal that's filled with runny egg yolks and soft, salty half-melted feta cheese. IN THIS NEWSLETTER Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Mariana Velasquez. Prop Stylist:Paige Hicks. Fluffy Mashed Potatoes By Genevieve Ko 40 minutes Makes 6 to 8 servings David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Chile-Oil Noodles With Cilantro By Judy Kim 20 minutes Makes 4 servings Linda Xiao for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Monica Pierini. Cheesy Baked Pumpkin Pasta With Kale By Sarah Jampel 45 minutes Makes 4 to 6 servings Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Chicken Noodle Soup By Ali Slagle 40 minutes Makes 4 to 6 servings Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Prop Stylist: Paige Hicks. Quick Tomato Soup With Grilled Cheese By Eric Kim 30 minutes Makes 4 servings Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Yossy Arefi. Cream Cheese Brownies By Samantha Seneviratne About 1 hour, plus cooling Makes 16 servings Sign up for the Five Weeknight Dishes newsletter Fresh dinner ideas for busy people who want something great to eat, with NYT Cooking recipes sent to you weekly. Get it in your inbox Sign up for The Veggie newsletter Tanya Sichynsky shares the most delicious vegetarian recipes for weeknight cooking, packed lunches and dinner parties. Get it in your inbox Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for Cooking from The New York Times. To stop receiving Cooking, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, including those regarding The Athletic, manage your email settings. To opt out of updates and offers sent from The Athletic, submit a request. Subscribe to NYT CookingGet the NYT Cooking app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018