Zuni Chicken (Roast Chicken with Bread Salad)

★★★★☆

Prep: 20 mins Cook: 1 hr Serves: 4

Ingredients

Roast Chicken:
1 (3½- to 4-pound) free-range whole chicken
4 (4-inch) thyme sprigs
4 small garlic cloves, smashed and roughly chopped
3½ teaspoons fine sea salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
Bread Salad:
1 tablespoon warm water (90°F to 110°F)
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon dried currants
¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons Champagne vinegar
¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ pound day-old, open-crumb, chewy, rustic bread loaf (not sourdough), cut into large (2-inch) chunks (about 2½ cups)
4 medium scallions (about 2 ounces), trimmed and thinly sliced crosswise (about ¾ cup)
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced (about 1 tablespoon)
1 tablespoon pine nuts
4 cups lightly packed greens (such as chicory, escarole, or radicchio) (about 4 ounces)

Instructions

Dry-brine the chicken:
1. Gently loosen skin from chicken breasts and thighs using your fingers. Stuff thyme and garlic under skin, spreading in an even layer. Sprinkle salt and pepper evenly over chicken. Place chicken on a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet. Refrigerate, uncovered, at least 24 hours or up to 48 hours.
Begin the bread salad:
2. Preheat oven to 450°F. Stir together 1 tablespoon warm water and red wine vinegar in a small bowl; add currants, and soak until plumped, about 10 minutes. Drain currants; set aside.
3. Whisk together ½ cup olive oil and Champagne vinegar in a small bowl; season dressing with salt and pepper.
4. Toss together bread and 2 tablespoons olive oil on a rimmed baking sheet until well combined. Bake in preheated oven until lightly toasted, 8 to 12 minutes, flipping bread once halfway through baking time. Let stand on baking sheet until cool enough to handle, 5 to 10 minutes; tear bread into smaller, bite-size (1- to 1½-inch) pieces. Toss bread with three-quarters of dressing (about ½ cup) in a large bowl, and let stand until bread absorbs liquid, about 15 minutes.
5. Heat ½ tablespoon olive oil in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-low. Add scallions and garlic; cook, stirring often, until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in pine nuts. Transfer to bowl with bread. Add currants, and toss until well combined.
6. Spoon bread salad into a shallow 8-inch square baking dish. Cover loosely with aluminum foil; bake in preheated oven until heated through, about 15 minutes. Uncover and bake until tops of bread cubes are dry and bottoms are lightly browned, 6 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven; set aside.
Roast the chicken and finish the salad:
7. Increase oven temperature to 500°F. Wipe skillet clean, and transfer to oven to preheat for 8 minutes. Remove heated skillet from oven, and add remaining 1½ tablespoons oil to hot skillet, swirling to coat. Pat chicken dry, and carefully place in skillet, breast side up. Roast at 500°F ...

This is the famous Zuni Café chicken recipe by chef Judy Rodgers. The key is the 24-48 hour dry-brine which creates incredibly flavorful, crispy-skinned chicken. The bread salad incorporates the pan juices for maximum flavor. Originally published in September 1998. Requires advance planning for the dry-brining process.

Wine Pairing: Full White