SEVEN OR LESS
Dress up oven chicken with a yogurt sauce

By Renee Schettler
Washington Post

Even perfectly executed roast chicken gets ho-hum after a while.

Here's a simple garlicky yogurt sauce that makes chicken enticing. For a simple side dish, make double the sauce and spoon some over boiled potatoes or sprigs of fresh watercress.

Adapted from "Sydney Food" by Bill Granger (Murdoch, 2000).

Roast Chicken with Yogurt Garlic Sauce

• About 4 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken parts (breasts, legs or an assortment)
• About 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 cup (8 ounces) plain yogurt, preferably whole-milk

Preheat the oven to 475 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet or roasting pan with foil.

Pat the chicken dry and place on the pan. Drizzle with oil and rub to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Place a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Add the chicken, skin-side down, and sear without moving until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Turn the chicken, transfer to the oven and roast until the chicken is cooked through and the juice runs clear, 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the size and cut (white meat cooks a bit more quickly than dark meat).

Meanwhile, on a cutting board, using the flat side of a chef's knife, smash the garlic. Sprinkle with salt and mince and mash the garlic into a paste. Scrape the mixture into a bowl, add the yogurt and stir to combine. Set aside.

Serve the chicken immediately and pass the sauce on the side.

Makes 4 servings.

Per serving (using white meat and skin): 664 calories, 78 g protein, 3 g carbohydrates, 36 g fat, 240 mg cholesterol, 11 g saturated fat, 507 mg sodium, trace of dietary fiber.