Roasted Chicken with Summer Fruit Salad
Course:
Lunch, Dinner
Seasonal Event:
Summer
Yield:
4-6 Servings
INGREDIENTS:
For Salad:
- 1 1/2 cups roasted chicken, spatchcocked and shredded
- 4 cups mixed greens (mix of arugula, kale, spinach)
- 1 avocado, thinly sliced
- 1 cup strawberries, quartered
- 1/4 cup vegan parmesan cheese, crumbled
- salt and pepper to taste
For Herb Paste:
- 4 cloves garlic grated
- 1 lemon zested
- 5 sprigs thyme, picked
- salt
- pepper
- olive oil
For Chicken:
- 1 (3 ½ pound) whole chicken
- Salt & Freshly ground black pepper
- Olive oil
For White Balsamic Vinaigrette:
- 3 tbs white balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp honey
- ½ tablespoon Dijon mustard
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- pepper to taste
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- Mix all together
DIRECTIONS:
For Herb Paste:
- Mix the garlic, zest, thyme in a bowl with your fingers. Pour just enough oil in to make a paste, adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Set aside for the flavors to combine.
For Chicken:
- Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Set a wire rack inside a rimmed baking sheet.
- Bring the chicken out of the fridge 30 minutes before cooking. Lay the chicken on a clean, stabilized cutting board, breast side down.
- Using very sharp kitchen scissors, cut along the side of the spine, from the tail end to the neck. Repeat on other side.
- Using a very sharp knife, score vertically down the breastbone, then flip the bird over, breast side up. Press down firmly with the palm of your hand until you hear a “pop” and the chicken is lying flat. Tuck the wings under the breast.
- Use your fingers to carefully loosen the skin away from the meat. Spread the herb paste under the skin, covering the breast and thigh meat.
- Season both sides of the chicken generously with salt and pepper. Set the chicken, breast side up, on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and rub to evenly coat the skin. Roast for 40-45 minutes, or until the thigh juices run clear when pierced with a knife. Transfer the baking sheet to a cooling rack and allow to rest for 10 minutes prior to carving.