Chicken and Egg - Janice Cole [15]
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Preheat the oven to 475°F. Position a wire rack inside a large, rimmed baking sheet lined with foil. Coat the rack with nonstick cooking spray.
Stir together the olive oil and garlic in a small cup. Slather about 2 tablespoons of the mixture over the skin side of the chicken, and rub the remainder, about 1 tablespoon, over the back.
Open up the chicken like a book and spread out across the rack, skin-side up, so it’s as flat as possible. Position the legs so they are knock-kneed (facing each other). Tuck the wing tips behind the chicken. Sprinkle the chicken with the salt and pepper. Pour enough hot water into the pan to cover the foil. This will keep the drippings from smoking and burning in the high heat, and the steam will help cook the chicken from the bottom up.
Roast for 30 minutes. Cover the breast loosely with foil if it browns too quickly. Continue roasting for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the meat is no longer pink and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh (without touching a bone) registers 175°F.
To carve the chicken, make a diagonal cut below the breast and remove the legs. Cut between the drumsticks and thighs to separate them. Cut the breast in half down the center and cut each breast half in half again crosswise, leaving the wings attached, for a total of 8 pieces of chicken. Serve immediately.
NOTE
To remove a chicken’s backbone, place the chicken, breast-side down, on a cutting board. Start at the tail end and, with a sturdy pair of kitchen shears, cut along one side of the backbone, cutting through the tiny back rib bones. Repeat on the other side. Remove and discard the backbone, or save to make stock. Turn the chicken over and press on the breastbone to flatten slightly.
SERVES 4
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
One 3 ½-pound chicken, backbone removed (see Note)
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 ½ cups hot water, or as needed
Herb-Buttered Chicken with Spring Vegetables
Your local farmers’ market is the best place to shop for this meal. Look for a locally raised chicken that’s been free-ranged on pasture, and accompany it with garden-fresh carrots, new potatoes, and asparagus. The herbs used in this dish can be varied to suit your taste or the time of the year. In the spring, I prefer lighter, delicate herbs so they support but don’t overpower the flavor of the chicken and the young vegetables.
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Preheat the oven to 425°F. Place a roasting rack in the center of a large, rimmed baking sheet or shallow roasting pan. Stir together the butter and ¼ cup herbs in a small bowl until completely blended.
Loosen the skin of the chicken over the breast by slipping your hand between the skin and the meat to create a pocket, being careful not to tear the skin. Spoon 1 tablespoon of the herb butter into the pocket, pressing on the skin to spread the butter around. Tuck the wing tips behind the chicken so they lie flat.
Reserve 1 tablespoon of the herb butter and smear the rest all over the outside of the chicken. Sprinkle with ½ teaspoon of the salt and ¼ teaspoon of the pepper. Place the chicken, breast-side down, on the roasting rack and roast for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, melt the reserved tablespoon of herb butter. Toss with the potatoes, carrots, and onion in a large bowl and sprinkle with the remaining ¼ teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon of pepper.
Remove the chicken from the oven and, using tongs, carefully turn the chicken breast-side up. Scatter the potatoes, carrots, and onion in a single layer around and under the chicken. Roast for an additional 20 minutes. Baste the chicken and vegetables with