Roast Chicken with Warm Bread Salad

Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken (4-pound, giblets discarded)
• Kosher salt (for seasoning and vinaigrette; Diamond Crystal preferred)
• black pepper (for seasoning and vinaigrette)
• 8 oz country-style bread (4 1-inch-thick slices, bottom crust removed, cut into 3/4- to 1-inch pieces (5 cups))
• 0.25 cup chicken broth
• 6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (plus 2 teaspoons, divided)
• 2 tbsp champagne vinegar (red or white wine vinegar may be substituted)
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 3 scallions (sliced thin)
• 2 tbsp dried currants
• 5 oz baby arugula (about 5 cups)

Steps

1. 1

   Place chicken, breast side down, on a cutting board. Using kitchen shears, cut through the bones on either side of the backbone and discard the backbone. Do not trim off any excess fat or skin. Flip the chicken over and press firmly on the breastbone to flatten the bird.

2. 2

   Using your fingers, carefully loosen the skin covering the breast and legs. Rub 1/2 teaspoon salt under the skin of each breast, 1/2 teaspoon under the skin of each leg, and 1 teaspoon salt onto the bird's cavity (use only 1/2 teaspoon in the cavity if using Morton Kosher Salt).

3. 3

   Tuck the wings behind the back and turn the legs so the drumsticks face inward toward the breasts. Place the chicken on a wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet or on a large plate and refrigerate, uncovered, for 24 hours.

4. 4

   Adjust oven rack to the middle position and heat oven to 475 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 12-inch skillet with vegetable oil spray.

5. 5

   Toss the bread pieces with the chicken broth and 2 tablespoons of olive oil until the pieces are evenly moistened. Arrange the bread in the prepared skillet in a single layer, placing the majority of the crusted pieces near the center, crust side up.

6. 6

   Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and place it, skin side up, directly on top of the bread. Brush 2 teaspoons of olive oil over the chicken skin and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

7. 7

   Roast the chicken until the skin is deep golden brown and the thickest part of the breast registers 160 degrees and the thighs register 175 degrees, about 45 to 50 minutes, rotating the skillet halfway through roasting.

8. 8

   While the chicken roasts, prepare the vinaigrette: whisk the champagne vinegar, mustard, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper together in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil. Stir in the sliced scallions and currants and set aside.

9. 9

   Place the baby arugula in a large bowl.

10. 10

    Transfer the roasted chicken to a carving board and let it rest, uncovered, for 15 minutes.

11. 11

    Run a thin metal spatula under the bread to loosen it from the bottom of the skillet. The bread should be a mix of softened, golden-brown, and crunchy pieces.

12. 12

    Carve the chicken and whisk any accumulated juices from the carving board into the prepared vinaigrette.

13. 13

    Add the bread and the vinaigrette to the arugula and toss to coat evenly. Transfer the salad to a serving platter and serve immediately with the carved chicken.

Notes

This recipe requires refrigerating the seasoned chicken for 24 hours to ensure crispy skin and seasoned meat. For the bread, a round rustic loaf with a chewy, open crumb and a sturdy outer crust works best. If using Morton Kosher Salt instead of Diamond Crystal, reduce the salt in the cavity to 1/2 teaspoon.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• roast chicken
• bread salad
• baked
• dinner
• poultry