Roast Chicken with Bread and Greens
This gorgeous-looking chicken dish adapted from Ina Garten will wow your guests. Not only does it look impressive, but the taste is spectacular. Croutons made from dense no-knead artisan French bread or a hearty bakery bread soak up the juices as the chicken cooks. The bread gets toasty and sticks to the bottom of the pan, developing a crunchy texture. The result is a tasty addition to the moist meat. The Champagne vinegar and Dijon mustard dressing on the chicken are a delicious combination. Serve on a bed of greens to make a statement about how easy it is to cook a special meal.
Note: If you don't have a cast iron stewpot or baking dish, make do with a glass or metal baking dish or a roasting pan, then use a double layer of foil to cover the chicken when called for.
Yield: 4 - 6 servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes, plus chilling and resting time
Cook Time: 45 minutes - Adjust time depending on the size of the chicken
Total Time: 1 hour and 5 minutes, plus chilling and resting time
More chicken options: French Chicken Tarragon, Mediterranean Chicken Salad, Chicken Marbella, Curried Chicken Salad with Raisins, Greek Lemon Oregano Chicken, Chicken Marsala, Fideos (Pasta) with Chicken and Greens, Buttermilk Chicken, Crispy Chicken over Turmeric Lemon Chicken, Oven Roasted Chicken Shawarma
Ingredients
For the Chicken:
One 4 - 4 1/2 pound whole chicken
4 sprigs fresh thyme (or rosemary or other herb of your choice)
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 lemon, cut into several slices and the rest in large chunks
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
Country bread, sliced thick, cut into large crouton-sized pieces
For the Arugula Salad:
1/4 cup Champagne or white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon minced garlic
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/3 cup olive oil
1/2 cup scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced, or red onion
2 tablespoons dried currants, raisins or cranberries
6 cups baby arugula, light packed, spinach or romaine lettuce
Method
1. Make the chicken: Place the chicken on clean work surface. Pat the skin dry with a paper towel. Using your finger, gently loosen the skin from the breast and thighs. Cut the lemon slices into smaller pieces. Carefully slip the small lemon pieces, the thyme and the minced garlic underneath the skin. Place the lemon chunks in the cavity of the chicken. Using kitchen twine, tie the legs together and tuck the wings underneath. Season with salt and pepper. Wrap the chicken in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
2. Preheat the oven to 500°. Remove the chicken an hour before roasting to take the chill off. Place the bread pieces on the bottom of a large, ungreased cast-iron skillet or baking dish. Rub the chicken with the olive oil. Place the bird on top of the bread, breast side up. Roast for 30 minutes, then flip over and roast for an additional 15 or more minutes, depending on the size of the bird, until the juices run clear between the leg and the thigh. Remove the chicken and cover or wrap tight with aluminum foil. Let it rest for 20-30 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, make the dressing: In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, mustard and garlic. Season with salt and pepper, while stirring, drizzle in the olive oil. Add the scallions and currants and set aside.
4. To serve, carve the chicken into pieces and scrape out the croutons from the baking dish. Spread the arugula on a platter, top with the carved chicken and croutons. Drizzle with the dressing. Serve warm.
Alternate suggestion: Toss the arugula in the dressing, serve on the platter or on the side.
This gorgeous-looking chicken dish adapted from Ina Garten will wow your guests. Not only does it look impressive, but the taste is spectacular. Croutons made from dense no-knead artisan French bread or a hearty bakery bread soak up the juices as the chicken cooks. The bread gets toasty and sticks to the bottom of the pan, developing a crunchy texture. The result is a tasty addition to the moist meat. The Champagne vinegar and Dijon mustard dressing on the chicken are a delicious combination. Serve on a bed of greens to make a statement about how easy it is to cook a special meal.
Note: If you don't have a cast iron stewpot or baking dish, make do with a glass or metal baking dish or a roasting pan, then use a double layer of foil to cover the chicken when called for.
Yield: 4 - 6 servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes, plus chilling and resting time
Cook Time: 45 minutes - Adjust time depending on the size of the chicken
Total Time: 1 hour and 5 minutes, plus chilling and resting time
More chicken options: French Chicken Tarragon, Mediterranean Chicken Salad, Chicken Marbella, Curried Chicken Salad with Raisins, Greek Lemon Oregano Chicken, Chicken Marsala, Fideos (Pasta) with Chicken and Greens, Buttermilk Chicken, Crispy Chicken over Turmeric Lemon Chicken, Oven Roasted Chicken Shawarma
Ingredients
For the Chicken:
One 4 - 4 1/2 pound whole chicken
4 sprigs fresh thyme (or rosemary or other herb of your choice)
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 lemon, cut into several slices and the rest in large chunks
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
Country bread, sliced thick, cut into large crouton-sized pieces
For the Arugula Salad:
1/4 cup Champagne or white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon minced garlic
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/3 cup olive oil
1/2 cup scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced, or red onion
2 tablespoons dried currants, raisins or cranberries
6 cups baby arugula, light packed, spinach or romaine lettuce
Method
1. Make the chicken: Place the chicken on clean work surface. Pat the skin dry with a paper towel. Using your finger, gently loosen the skin from the breast and thighs. Cut the lemon slices into smaller pieces. Carefully slip the small lemon pieces, the thyme and the minced garlic underneath the skin. Place the lemon chunks in the cavity of the chicken. Using kitchen twine, tie the legs together and tuck the wings underneath. Season with salt and pepper. Wrap the chicken in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
2. Preheat the oven to 500°. Remove the chicken an hour before roasting to take the chill off. Place the bread pieces on the bottom of a large, ungreased cast-iron skillet or baking dish. Rub the chicken with the olive oil. Place the bird on top of the bread, breast side up. Roast for 30 minutes, then flip over and roast for an additional 15 or more minutes, depending on the size of the bird, until the juices run clear between the leg and the thigh. Remove the chicken and cover or wrap tight with aluminum foil. Let it rest for 20-30 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, make the dressing: In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, mustard and garlic. Season with salt and pepper, while stirring, drizzle in the olive oil. Add the scallions and currants and set aside.
4. To serve, carve the chicken into pieces and scrape out the croutons from the baking dish. Spread the arugula on a platter, top with the carved chicken and croutons. Drizzle with the dressing. Serve warm.
Alternate suggestion: Toss the arugula in the dressing, serve on the platter or on the side.