It might be the post-holiday blues still lingering or a severe lack of motivation, but slaving over a stove doesn’t seem awfully appealing. After exhausting frozen food options and accepting takeout is too expensive a habit, we’re on a quest to find alternatives for affordable, healthy, and satisfying meals that are easy to assemble. That’s right —assemble: the art of tossing random dishes together for personal satisfaction. Many companies have done the thinking, so why work harder than we need to? Instead of stressing about cooking everything from scratch, our new Dinners with Ease series will share hacks, discoveries, and tricks that can be used to assemble beautiful meals with little effort. 

Trader Joe’s Spatchcocked Lemon & Rosemary Chicken is a thing of beauty. If you haven’t pulled the trigger, this is your public service announcement. In fact, this is a public plea to add to cart. TJ’s fairies have done all the work so that any ol’ anybody can deliver a gorgeous, mouthwatering meal. They’ve butterflied a whole chicken, so there’s no need to mess with raw meat; flattened it, so it’ll cook in a reasonable amount of time; brined it, rendering it incredibly tender, and then it’s marinated in beautiful lemon and rosemary flavors. All that’s left to do is roast and serve.

When served with simple roasted veggies and/or Trader Joe’s brilliant slaw kits, you’ve got the easiest, most delicious meal ready for hosting, any evening, or meal prepping under $20. 

Lemon Rosemary Chicken with Roasted Carrots & Slaw

Shopping List:
TJ’s Spatchcocked Lemon & Rosemary Chicken
TJ’s Petit Carrots (olive oil, salt, pepper)
TJ’s Broccoli & Kale Slaw Kit
Oregano or rosemary to garnish

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Remove chicken from packaging and place skin side up on a lined baking sheet or roasting pan. Roast for 1.5 – 2 hours or until a meat thermometer reads 165 degrees Fahrenheit. 
3. While the chicken is roasting, prepare the salad. In a large bowl, toss the slaw in the accompanying dressing. Top with nuts and dried berries (included in packet). Let salad marinate in a cooler until ready to serve.
4.  During the last 30 minutes of roasting, place carrots on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with desired seasonings. Bake until the chicken is done or until desired tenderness.

We know you saavy cooks have plenty of tips and tricks to share. Be sure to use the hashtag #TAdinnerswithease on Instagram and Facebook, so we can repost and our community can learn from you. Sharing is caring!