Roast Chicken With Peppers, Focaccia and Basil Aioli
- Total Time
- 1 hour 45 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 1whole chicken (4 to 5 pounds)
- 1tablespoon dried oregano, preferably wild
- 1tablespoon plus 1½ teaspoons flaky sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1cup good-quality red wine vinegar
- 3red bell peppers
- 2yellow bell peppers
- 1loaf focaccia (about 14 ounces), halved horizontally if thicker than 1 inch
- 2heads garlic, sliced in half widthwise through cloves
- ½cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1packed cup fresh basil leaves
- ¼cup lemon juice (from 2 lemons), plus more to taste
- 4cloves garlic, grated
- 2teaspoons flaky sea salt, plus more to taste
- 4egg yolks
- 2⅔cups extra-virgin olive oil
- Cold water, as needed
For the Chicken
For the Aioli
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Preparation
- Step 1
Prepare the chicken: Set the chicken on a work surface breast-side down. Use shears or kitchen scissors to remove and discard the backbone, then cut through the wishbone and along one side of the breast plate to separate the chicken into two halves. In a 9-by-13-inch (or similar size) baking dish, season the two chicken halves with half the oregano, 1 tablespoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Drizzle with ¾ cup vinegar. Set aside, or cover and refrigerate up to 2 hours in advance.
- Step 2
Blister the peppers: Turn the stovetop gas flames on high heat. Place the peppers directly over the flames, bottom-side down, and blister until the peppers are beginning to soften, rotating until the bottom, sides and tops are blackened, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a paper bag, fold to seal and let cool, 5 minutes.
- Step 3
Working over a bowl to collect the juices, peel each pepper, then tear into thick strips, discarding the stems and seeds as you separate the pepper. Season peppers with the remaining ¼ cup vinegar, 1½ teaspoons oregano and 1½ teaspoons salt, and toss to coat.
- Step 4
Heat the oven to 450 degrees.
- Step 5
Tear 2 pieces of focaccia (using about half the loaf) into portions that are slightly smaller than the 2 pieces of chicken. Rub both pieces of focaccia with the halved garlic and transfer to the baking dish. Place the marinated chicken on top of each piece of torn focaccia, skin side up. Tuck garlic heads and peppers around the chicken. Tear remaining focaccia into shards and tuck these around the chicken and peppers. Pour any juices from the peppers over the whole dish and drizzle the olive oil over everything.
- Step 6
Bake until the chicken comes to 165 degrees, about 1 hour, depending on the size of your bird. If bread or peppers are getting burned before the chicken is fully cooked, cover those areas with aluminum foil and continue cooking.
- Step 7
Meanwhile, prepare the aioli: Using a mortar and pestle, working in batches if necessary, mash basil with lemon juice, garlic and sea salt until it forms a paste. Either by hand in a bowl with a whisk or in a food processor, whirl egg yolks then begin adding the oil very slowly, whisking or blending until mixture is emulsified and thickened and all the oil has been added. (If mixture seems to thicken too much for the machine as you blend, pause to add a tablespoon of cold water.) Blend in basil paste until combined. Add additional cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, to achieve a dippable texture; season to taste with salt and lemon. (Makes 3½ cups.) Use immediately or refrigerate until use, up to 3 days (see Tip).
- Step 8
Once chicken is cooked through, remove from oven and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Serve directly from the baking dish, family-style, with aioli on the side.
- There are myriad uses for leftover aioli: Toss raw tomatoes in it, spread it thickly on baguette with tuna and boiled egg to make pain bagnat, dip stolen cold cuts or crudités from the fridge into it or use as you please.
Private Notes
Comments
It is unclear on this recipe if you need to drain the marinade from the chicken before placing it on the focaccia for baking or not. Please advise.
Absolutely scrumptious! I read the comments and made the following adjustments: I halved the vinegar and added the marinade with the chicken. I used 8 skin on chicken thighs. I allowed the chicken (placed on the focaccia) to roast with the garlic, alone, for the first 25 minutes, and then added the peppers, pepper juice and the bread that is tucked in around the chicken. It took another 25 minutes and was done. Perfect! No burnt bread or disintegrating peppers, and not too vinegary.
I left all the vinegar in the pan and it was too much— it may be better to remove the chicken to a new pan and discard the vinegar under the chicken. I also cheated on the aioli— I made the basil paste in my food processor and added store bought mayo.
I cooked this and we liked it but it needs modification to the recipe, as shown. First, while I used a whole chicken (as specified), cut up chicken would be just fine and easier to serve. Marinate the peppers with the chicken- no need to make the marinade twice. Also add a little more vinegar. Cut the salt in half - we didn’t miss it. Lose the bread (it dissolves to a fatty mush and it’s kinda disgusting) and use potatoes (halved lengthwise) in with chicken pieces. Lastly, the aioli- wayyyy too much. You only need 1/4 of the recipe (and you’ll still have lots of leftovers). Don’t bother using a mortar and pestle on the basil - put all of the ingredients into your food processor (except for the olive oil) and slowly add the oil while operating the food processor. Whew! I guess this recipe wasn’t ready for prime time!
Really not good. Followed directions completely and the result was a soggy casserole that was both overly garlicky and under-flavored. Great dishes are better than the sum of their parts; in this case, I would have much preferred a plain roast chicken with a side of focaccia and roasted peppers!
Delicious. I used all the vinegar, kept it in the pan, and added the peppers after 25 mins, with the torn bread. Store bought mayo and leftover pesto. It was terrific.
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