I love cooking as most of you know but since being diagnosed with arthritis it’s also been a tiresome process. I’m trying to find easy cooking ideas and meal ideas while not comprising on the actual recipes so I can manage chronic pain and have delicious food at the same time. It’s only fair to say I’ve been using kitchen appliances and tools far more frequently than before. They help it cutting down on my cooking and prep time and saves me from flare ups the following day.

Chicken Cafreal is usually made by grilling/frying the chicken pieces on a pan on medium to low heat. Baking cafreal for me was a first and though it takes longer that usual to cook the taste is the same. The recipe works great with cut pieces of chicken like thighs and legs too.

Ingredients:
1 whole chicken with skin (I’ve used 1.3 kgs)
1.5 cup fresh coriander leaves
3-4 green chillies
4-5 garlic pods
1 inch ginger
2-3 cardamom pods seeds removed
5-7 black peppercorns
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
3-4 cloves
4 tbsp butter for baking

Method:

• Blend all ingredients in a mixer grinder except the butter into a fine paste with 1/4 cup of water. Note: I don’t add salt since we use butter in the baking process, however you can add a little just for taste if needed.
• Marinate the chicken with the green paste for about 3-4 hours. I usually leave it overnight in the fridge wrapped in tin foil.
• Preheat the oven to 450˚F. To apply butter, lift the skin lightly with your fingers and rub the meat with the butter. Making sure it is rubbed well between the skin and meat.
• Place the chicken in a flame-proof roasting pan and roast for 30 to 40 minutes, rotating the pan, moving it to different parts of the oven to account for hot spots.
• Reduce the oven’s heat to 300˚F and continue to roast, for another 30 to 40 minutes or until the bird is done: When you poke the fat part of the thigh with the paring knife, the juices should run clear.
• Let it rest 15 minutes before serving.

Recipe for Butter & Rosemary Roasted Chicken with Potatoes.