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Rosemary-Honey Chicken with Smashed Cauliflower is a delicious comfort food dinner made with a lovely rosemary simple syrup. This easy and complete meal is perfect for a variety of wellness diets and most people, including Paleo, AIP, Keto, GAPS, Gluten-free and Low vitamin A.
Look for the few variations to meet different dietary needs.
Smashed Cauliflower
My husband says this is the best cauliflower he’s ever had. And we all love Smashed Cauliflower better than mashed cauliflower.
Mashed cauli is a fun Paleo, AIP or GAPS alternative to mashed potatoes, a boon for many of us. But smashed cauli is waaay yummier, in our estimation.
What is Smashed Cauliflower? — Get a better texture, and a better flavor by fully puréeing just half of the cooked cauliflower. The other half is smashed in or remains is soft larger pieces. Because fully mashed cauliflower doesn’t have the best texture, the smashing adds interest and perfection to the outcome.
My cauliflower smash is made with the pan juices of the baked chicken, so yummy!
How to make Rosemary-Honey Chicken
This baked chicken is made with an easy rosemary-honey simple syrup.
There’s almost no prep involved with this recipe; but infused honey water (although it sounds fancy it’s almost no work) makes the recipe taste complex, which the flavors actually are.
Dijon mustard is also added — but can be left out for the AIP and GAPS version and will still have your family saying what a yummy dinner you’ve made.
Serve the moist chicken atop the smashed cauliflower, and spoon pan juices over all. Add a bit of fresh rosemary too; and you have a pretty feast.
Rosemary-Honey Chicken with Smashed Cauliflower
Equipment
- saucepan
- oven
Ingredients
Rosemary-Honey Chicken
- 3.5 to 4 lbs chicken thighs skinless, boneless (OR with skin and bone, if preferred)
- ⅓ cup water
- ⅓ cup honey Use low carb honey for Keto.
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup Dijon mustard (Omit for AIP and GAPS.)
- 2 large sprigs fresh rosemary
- salt and pepper
Smashed Cauliflower
- 1 large head cauliflower
- ½ to ¾ cup pan drippings from baked chicken
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
Rosemary-Honey Simple Syrup (Do this step first, at least one hour before you intend to bake the chicken.)
- Bring water to boil in a small saucepan. Turn off heat. Add honey, stirring to dissolve. Add rosemary, and cover to steep for 1 to 2 hours. Remove any twiggy rosemary branches. Stir in optional Dijon mustard, until fully incorporated.
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. Choose a large casserole dish (with a lid for GAPS).
Smashed Cauliflower
- Wash cauliflower and remove outer green leaves. Place whole cauliflower (uncut) into a steamer basket over simmering water. Allow cauliflower to simmer or steam until very fork-tender, about 40 minutes. While cauliflower steams, prep and bake the chicken.When the cauliflower is very fork tender, carefully transfer it to a saucepan to cool slightly.
- Break cauliflower into small chunks with a spoon. Transfer ⅓ to ½ of the cauliflower to a blender. Set aside until the chicken is done cooking.When the chicken is done cooking, use the pan juices: Measure out about ⅓ (to ½) the total pan juices, enough to puree the cauliflower to a creamy "baby food" consistency. Also add ½ teaspoon sea salt to the blender. Puree cauliflower till smooth, adding more pan juices as needed.Stir puree back into saucepan of small cauliflower chunks, smashing some of the cauliflower with the back of a fork. Place saucepan over lowest heat to heat gently.
Baked Chicken
- Place chicken in large casserole dish. Spoon rosemary syrup over chicken. Drizzle olive oil over chicken. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cover for GAPS; otherwise, bake uncovered. Place in preheated oven for 45 minutes, until juices run clear when poked deeply with a knife. Remove chicken from the oven, and pour off pan juices needed for the cauliflower. Turn the oven heat down to 250℉.
- Place Baked Chicken back into the warm 250℉ oven to keep it warm until you're ready to serve. Allow both chicken and cauliflower to get toasty hot, increasing heat and stirring the cauliflower, as needed. Serve with extra pan juices spooned over the top of both.
Notes
Nutrition
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Ariana Mullins says
I love that you use the pan juices in your smashed cauliflower– such a great way to get a ton of flavor!
Megan Stevens says
Thanks, Ariana! It’s good for my frugal soul to use all those drippings… and yes, I think that’s what makes my hubby love them so; that, and the soft, chunky texture. 🙂
Sarah says
well this just looks delicious! Love that you used cauliflower, I’m totally going to have to try this 🙂
Megan Stevens says
Thanks, Sarah! SO glad!!
linda spiker says
Love it. It sounds delicious and easy to make. How do you get those amazon rectangle links at the bottom of your post? I have so much to learn!
Megan Stevens says
Linda, let’s private message; I can tell you!! <3 🙂
Katie | The Antidote Life says
I am still trying to master roasted chicken, I must make this for my husband – maybe my spastic years of making terrible roasted chicken are over! 😉
Megan Stevens says
ha, ha… When you roast chicken, btw, I think the best method is the easiest too: just 375 until juices run clear when the dark meat is poked to the bone with a knife. When roasting, face the breast meat down. Rub fat of choice all over the raw bird, salt and pepper it; that’s all! It should be moist and juicy, crazy good and have a crispy skin. I hope this helps!!
Renee Kohley says
I have yet to try cauli mash! This looks really good though! I think I might try it!
Megan Stevens says
Yay, Renee. I hope you love this method! 🙂
Chloe says
That picture is completely drool worthy. Yum! I love roasted chicken and cauli mash.
Megan Stevens says
Thanks, Chloe!!! Me too. 🙂
georgia says
OMG … That looks delicious. Bit my daughter is a vegetarian…wonder if the mash is still so yummy without the pan juices ?
Megan Stevens says
The mash would probably be really good with a strong miso broth in place of the pan juices? 🙂
georgia says
☺☺ thanks for the idea. I’ll definetly give it a try
Megan Stevens says
Oh good, so glad!! 🙂