Zuni-ish Roast Chicken
Large Cast Iron Skillet
9 x 13" Baking Dish
Paper Towels
1.
Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Using your fingers, gently and carefully separate the skin from the breasts and thighs. Fill these pockets with chopped thyme and minced garlic. Evenly distribute the thyme and garlic under the skin. Salt and pepper the exterior of the chicken. Refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.
2.
Place a cast iron skillet in the oven and preheat to 500ºF. When heated, remove the skillet, add the tablespoon of olive oil in the center, and place the chicken breast side up. Return to the oven, reduce heat to 450ºF, and roast for 20 minutes. Turn the chicken breast side down and roast for an additional 15 minutes. Again, turn the chicken breast side up, careful not to break the skin, and roast for 20 minutes or until the thigh temperature is 160ºF.
3.
1.
Preheat the oven to 450º. In a small bowl, macerate the dried currants with the warmed red wine vinegar for ten minutes. Drain and set aside.
2.
In a small bowl, combine white wine vinegar and olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
3.
Tear the bread into large pieces, coat with two tablespoons of olive oil, and bake for eight to ten minutes until golden. Let it cool, then tear it into bite-size pieces. Place the bread in a bowl and mix with half of the vinegar and oil mixture and currants.
4.
Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat in a small saucepan. Add the scallions and garlic. Cook gently until softened, about three minutes. Add to the bread mixture.
5.
Transfer the bread mixture to the baking dish. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 15 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional five minutes.
6.
Lightly dress the arugula, toss with the warm bread salad, and serve with the carved roasted chicken.
Ingredients
For Roast Chicken:
- 1 3 ½ to 4-pound whole chicken
- 1 tablespoon chopped thyme leaves
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cracked black pepper
- Panzanella-style salad (recipe follows)
For Bread Salad:
- 1 tablespoon dried currants
- 1 tablespoon warm red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons white wine or Champagne vinegar
- ½ cup olive oil, plus two tablespoons for the bread, and a tablespoon for garlic and scallions
- Salt
- Pepper
- ½ loaf of stale Italian or French bread
- ¼ cup scallions, thinly sliced on the bias
- 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons pine nuts
- 5 ounces arugula
Cook's Notes
I’ve roasted thousands of chickens. When Jeff and I first met in 1999, I roasted a chicken every day for 30 days to master the art of a French roast chicken. The Zuni Café in San Francisco is well known for its roast chicken. I’ve simulated their recipe, done a bit of Internet digging, and given some of my own spins on this dish. This treat has become a tradition for our first day of any vacation in Tahoe.
There are two parts to this recipe: the roast chicken and the bread salad. This chicken is salted generously and early. The earlier, the better.
As far as wine, the sky’s the limit. This pairs with our rosé, Chardonnay, or any of our red wines.