Best Chicken
Seasoning the chicken- 1 to 3 days before serving; for 3 1/4 3 1/2 pound chickens, at least 2 days.
Remove and discard the lump opf fat inside the chicken. Rinse the chicken and pat very dry inside and out. Be thorough=a wet chicken will spend too much time steaming before it begins to turn golden brown.
Make four pockets under the skin of the breasts and thighs. Shove an herb sprig into each of the pockets.
Season the chicken liberally all over wiht salt and the pepper (approx 3/4 teaspoon sea salt per pound of chicken). Season the thick sections a little more heavily than the skinny ankles and wings. Sprindle a little of the salt just inside the cavity, on the backbone, but don't otherwise worry about seasoning the inside. Twist and tuck the wing tips behind the shoulders. Cover loosely and refrigerate.
Starting the bread salad: up to several hours in advance Preheat the broiler
Cut the bread into a couple of large chunks. Carve off all of the bottom crust and most of the top and side crust (reserve the top and side crusts to use as croutons in salads or soups.). Brush the bread all over with olive oil. Broil very briefly, to crisp and lightly color the surface. Turn the bread chunks over and crisp the other side. Trim off any badly carred tips, then tear the chunks into a combination of irregual 2 to 3 inch wads, bite- sized bits, and fat crumbs. You should get about 4 cups.
Combine about 1/4 cup of the oliveoil with the Champagne or white wine vinegar and salt and pepper to taste. Toss about 1/4 cup of this tart vinaigrette with the torn bread in a wide salad bowl; the bread will be unevenly dressed. Tast one of the more saturated pieces. If it is bland, add a little salt and pepper and toss again.
Place the currants in a small bowl and moisten with the red wine vinegar and warm water. Set aside.
Roasting the chicken and assembling the salad:
Preheat the oven to 475 degrees, first under convention bake. Use for first 30 minutes. Use shallow, flameproof roasting pan or skillet with all metal handle. Preheat pan under medium heat. Wipe the chicken dry and set it breast side up in the pan. It should sizzle. Place in the center of the oven and listen for it to start sizzling and browning within 20 minutes. If not, raise temperature gradually. After 30 minutes turn the bird over. Roast for 10 to 20 minutes more depending on size, then flip back over to recrisp the breast, another 5 minutes. Total oven time should be 45 minutes. While the chicken is roasting, place the pine nuts in a small baking dish and set in the hot oven for a minute or two. Add them to the bowl of bread. Place a spoonful of the olive oil in a small skillet, add the garlic and scallions, and cook over medium-heat, stirring constantly, until softened. Don't let them color. Scrape into the bread and fold to combine. Drain the plumped currants and fold in. Dribble the chicken stock over the salad and fold again. Tast a few pieces of bread. If it is bland, add salt, pepper, and a few drops of vinegar, then toss well. Since the basic character of bread salad depends on the bread us use, the adjustments can be essential. Pile the bread sald in a 1 quart baking dish and tend with foil: Place the salad in the oven after you flip the chiken the final time.
Remove the chicken from the oven and turn off the heat. Leave the bread salad to continue warmig for another 5 minutes or so.
Lift the chicken from the roasting pan and set on a plate. Carefully pour the clear fat from the roasting pan, leaving the lean drippings behind. Add about a tablespoon of water to the hot pan and swirl it.
Slash the stretched skin between the thighs and breasts of the chicken, then tilt the bird and plate over the roasting pan to drain the juice into the drippings.
Set the chicken in a warm spot and leave to rest while you finish the bread salad. The meat will become more tender and uniformly succulant as it cools. Set a platter in thee oven to warm for a minute or two.
Tilt the roasting pan and skim the last of the fat. Place overmedium-low heat, add any juice that has collected under the chicken, and bring to a simmer. Stir and scrape to soften any hard golden drippings.
Tip the bread salad into the sald bowl. It will be steamy-hot, a mixture of soft, moist wads, crispy on the outside but moist in the middle wads, and a few downright crispy ones.Drizzle and toss with a spoonful of the pan juices. Add the greens, a drizzle of vinaigrette, and fold well. Taste again.
Cut the chicken into pieces, spread the bread sald on the warm platter, and nestle the chicken in the salad.
View line-by-line Nutrition Insights™: Discover which ingredients contribute the calories/sodium/etc.
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Serving Size: 1 Serving (2721g) | ||
Recipe Makes: 0.67 | ||
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Calories: 6091 | ||
Calories from Fat: 3327 (55%) | ||
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Amt Per Serving | % DV | |
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Total Fat 369.7g | 493 % | |
Saturated Fat 97.2g | 486 % | |
Monounsaturated Fat 161.8g | ||
Polyunsanturated Fat 80.6g | ||
Cholesterol 1505.8mg | 463 % | |
Sodium 3494.1mg | 120 % | |
Potassium 6205mg | 163 % | |
Total Carbohydrate 266.9g | 79 % | |
Dietary Fiber 47.2g | 189 % | |
Sugars, other 219.8g | ||
Protein 422.2g | 603 % | |
Powered by: USDA Nutrition Database Disclaimer: Nutrition facts are derived from linked ingredients (shown at left in colored bullets) and may or may not be complete. Always consult a licensed nutritionist or doctor if you have a nutrition-related medical condition. |
Calories per serving: 6091
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