Crispy Roasted Chicken With Blueberry Gastrique #GotToBeNCChicken

I am receiving compensation from the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to raise awareness about purchasing poultry at farmer’s markets. All opinions and content are my own.


"I feel like chicken, tonight! Chicken tonight!"
Remember that commercial and product that debuted in America during the '90s?

I can guarantee THIS product is better! I am helping to promote poultry at North Carolina farmers markets around the state. During this promotion, FOUR other N.C. bloggers visited local farmers markets and purchased poultry products to highlight the array of products available in N.C. Everything from duck to chicken is highlighted. Don't forget to scroll down to see where and what you can buy at your favorite market.



As you all know, I hosted a cooking show for two years at my local farmers market, Winston-Salem Fairgrounds Farmers Market: $20 Challenge. I still visit the market weekly as I've a good rapport with many of the vendors. As a matter of fact, I used NC chicken during my first-ever episode.

One of my favorite vendors and poultry farmers is Gay Gunn of Grace Meadow Farm in Westfield, N.C.

Everything she and her husband sell at the market come from their farm. The poultry, pork, vegetables--and heir daughter sometimes accompanies them to the market and sells paintings she's done while waiting for the market to be over (she's only 9; I don't blame her).


The Saturday I went to the market to pick up my chicken, there weren't any! But Gay was gracious enough to  set one aside for the for the next week, to make sure I had a fat, juicy roaster to take home!


In my personal and professional opinion, it's important, crucial and best to purchase your poultry from your local farmers market because:
1. You can meet your poultry's maker. Having a conversation with the person who raised your roaster from a baby chick to a full grown bird, is a beautiful thing.
2. You can ask questions: who, what, when, where, how?
3. You can take a field trip and see the place where your chicken was born and hopefully, all of the poultry you'll ever buy
4. Supporting local farmers supports local economy and makes where you live a better place.

But I know you knew all of that. What you DON'T KNOW is how to make your chicken the crispiest it's ever been. People will think you fried the chicken, when all you did was roast it in the oven.

Got To Be NC Chicken at Your Local NC Farmer’s Market

• Sheet Pan Chicken from Off the Eaten Path
• NC Farmer’s Market Feast from Nancie’s Table
• North Carolina Seared Duck Breast from The World on a Table
• Farmer’s Market Chicken Salad from Adventures of Frugal Mom
• Crispy Roasted Chicken with Blueberry Gastrique from Nik Snacks

What about this gastrique, Nikki?

Y'all...
I used that word as click bait. Technically, it's a sweet and sour sauce. What's the best sweet and sour thing you can imagine? Pickled blueberries. Tart, sweet and tangy--all in one.

All I did was serve this chicken with pickled blueberries, pickled okra and roasted baby carrots. The recipe for pickled blueberries can be found HERE. And to be honest, the same flavors that would be present in a gastrique, are the same ones in these pickled blueberries. Win-Win. And you can keep your blueberries in the fridge for over a year and pull them out when you need to add a little zing to your chicken, charcuterie board, salad or favorite sandwich!