Roasted Chicken with Salsa Verde

Tonight's dinner was a grown up version of the roasted chicken Mom would make.  It's easy and very flexible on the herbs spices and side dishes.  Just plan ahead and give yourself time to let the chicken cook.  

Recipe and Tutorial 

1 – 4-5 lb Whole Chicken

Kosher Salt

2 Tbls Olive Oil

½ Lemon, thinly sliced

3-4 fresh rosemary springs

3 cloves thinly sliced garlic

Salsa Verde ( recipe to follow)

Salsa Verde

½ cup olive

½ cup finely chopped basil

¼ cup finely chopped mint

1 tsp red pepper flakes

1 Tbls anchovy paste ( or dried salted anchovies)

1 zested lemon and juice

1 small yellow onion chopped finely or shallot

1 jalapeno minced ( seeds optional for extra heat)

Salt and pepper

1. Night Before - rinse whole chicken- remove cavity contents and pat dry.  Rub with 1 Tbls kosher salt and cover and let rest in fridge.  

2. Preheat oven to 450 - remove chicken from fridge 

3.  De-bone chicken - I taught myself how to do this on YouTube videos but its easy after the first time. 

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cut down one side of the rib bone with a sharp knife - do the same for the other side and remove the spine. 

  Should look something like this.( Discard or you can  freeze and save for making stock) 

Final Step -  make chicken into 2 even pieces by cutting down the middle of the breast bone. 

4. Prep chicken by sliding thin sliced lemons under the skin and slices of garlic.  Arrange rosemary around the cast iron pan and drizzle with olive oil ( about 2 Tbls) 

One side per pan or one large cast iron pan 

Oven ready!  Place in oven at 450 for 30-40 mins. 

5. Check at 20 mins and baste with drippings - 30 mins check internal temp ( 165) 


Final product should looks like this 

6.  While chicken cooked I made salsa but here are the pictures. 

Chop basil and mint as finely as you can chop onion, garlic, jalapeno add to small bowl. 

Add olive oil and juice lemon, put red pepper flakes, salt and pepper and 1 Tbls anchovy paste ( or dry salted anchovies)  Even if you don't like anchovies - no one will notice it's in there.  

Should look something like this. Set aside until chicken is done.  ( this can also be made the day before) 

Here is how the final plated meal looked.  My potatoes shown here are not worthy of a write up but they are tossed with a paprika aioli 

Enjoy!