Jonathan Waxman’s Roast Chicken
- Total Time
- About 45 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- Free-range organic chicken, 3½ pounds
- Sea salt
- black pepper
- 2tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1lemon (preferably Meyer)
- 1tablespoon capers
- 2anchovy fillets
- 3cloves garlic (peeled, green germ removed)
- 1cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼cup fresh parsley, chopped
- ¼cup arugula, chopped
- ¼cup basil leaves, chopped
- ¼cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1tablespoon tarragon leaves
- 1tablespoon fresh chives
- 1tablespoon fresh sage, chopped
- 1tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
- ¼teaspoon sea salt
For the Chicken
For the Salsa Verde
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
1479 calories; 128 grams fat; 27 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 74 grams monounsaturated fat; 20 grams polyunsaturated fat; 6 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 1 gram sugars; 76 grams protein; 1173 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Wash the chicken in hot water and dry with paper towels. Using kitchen shears, cut out the backbone of the chicken and remove any fat. Then, using a heavy chef's knife, cut out the breastbone. Season the two halves with sea salt and fresh black pepper. Dab an earthenware or metal baking dish with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and place the chicken halves inside it, skin side up. Sprinkle with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Cut the lemon in half and place the halves, cut side down, next to the chicken in the baking dish. Roast for 35 minutes, basting every 8 minutes. Rotate the pan during basting to allow for even cooking. The chicken is done when the juices from the thigh run clear (about 165 degrees).
- Step 2
Meanwhile, make the salsa verde. Rinse capers in cold water, then drain. Soak anchovies in cold water for 5 minutes, then pat dry and remove the bones. Using a mortar and pestle (or a small mixer if you are in a hurry), smash the capers, anchovies and garlic with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil until smooth. Transfer to a large bowl. Add all the herbs and remaining olive oil. (The mixture should be chunky, not oily.) Season with sea salt. Serve the chicken topped with the salsa verde, and garnish with the roasted lemon.
Private Notes
Comments
The chicken itself was delicious - simple as the recipe is.
BUT: 1. The chicken doesn't brown enough to really make the skin crispy, and
2. The sauce uses 1 cup of EVO (makes it excessively oily) when 1/2 cup is more than enough. The hand chopped herbs don't absorb the oil which separates immediately! If you blend the sauce and add some grated lemon peel the sauce becomes much better in terms of its relationship to the delicious chicken!
How do you "cut out the backbone of the chicken"? How do you "cut out the breastbone"?
I was told to NEVER wash chicken.
Can’t say I understand cutting out the breastbone. If you look at JW prepping it at Barbuto, he doesn’t take it out. I think this is meant to just say you cut THROUGH the breastbone, splitting the chicken but leaving the bone in tact. Which makes a lot of sense to avoid overcooking the breast. But assuming that adjustment is right, this is one of the purest, more beautiful ways to roast a chicken. When you’re done find some bread or today I had leftover naan and toast it in the pan juices.
The important herbs here are parsley and arugula. Everything else is optional, so don’t worry about the extensive list of herbs. As for the chicken, it won’t brown at 425. Cook it at 450.
Discovered this recipe after listening to an interview with Jonathan Waxman and ended up buying the cookbook. For those having trouble with an “oily” salsa verde: The cookbook calls for 2 3/4 cups greens/herbs to 1 cup oil. The NYT reduced the greens/herbs considerably but forgot to scale back the oil.
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