Keywords Archives: chicken

Thompson Grapes Roasted Chicken

Thompson Grapes Roasted Chicken
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Recipe by Silvia Baldini – This is a simple but stunning recipe, and is a hybrid of a popular fall Italian dish often prepared during grape harvesting season and the French vinegar roasted chicken. I nestle whole clusters of stem-on sweet Thompson grapes around my chicken to roast in the savory pan juices. A sprinkle of sugar on the grapes and a splash of sherry or high-quality balsamic vinegar give it a crisp acidity to balance the bright and deep flavors. 
Servings Prep Time
4-6 people 30 minutes
Cook Time
1 hour
Servings Prep Time
4-6 people 30 minutes
Cook Time
1 hour
Thompson Grapes Roasted Chicken
Yum
Print Recipe
Recipe by Silvia Baldini – This is a simple but stunning recipe, and is a hybrid of a popular fall Italian dish often prepared during grape harvesting season and the French vinegar roasted chicken. I nestle whole clusters of stem-on sweet Thompson grapes around my chicken to roast in the savory pan juices. A sprinkle of sugar on the grapes and a splash of sherry or high-quality balsamic vinegar give it a crisp acidity to balance the bright and deep flavors. 
Servings Prep Time
4-6 people 30 minutes
Cook Time
1 hour
Servings Prep Time
4-6 people 30 minutes
Cook Time
1 hour
Ingredients
  • 1 tablespoon coarse sea salt, plus more as needed
  • 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper, plus more as needed
  • 2 teaspoons lemon zest
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
  • ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 (3 ½ to 4 lb) whole chicken, spatchcocked (see notes)
  • 1 lb stem-on Thompson grapes, or sweet seedless black grapes, trimmed into small clusters 
  • 1 teaspoon granulated white sugar
  • ½ cup sherry vinegar or aged dark balsamic, plus 2 tablespoons for finishing
  • 1 ½ teaspoons unsalted butter
Servings: people
Instructions
  1. Rub 1 tablespoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, lemon zest, and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil generously over both sides of the chicken.
  2. Preheat the oven to 450°F.
  3. Set a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons olive oil. When the pan and oil are hot, place chicken in the skillet skin side down. Cook undisturbed for about 5 minutes, or until the skin is nicely browned. Turn chicken skin-side up and cook for 3 minutes on the other side.  Transfer the chicken to the oven and roast for 20 to 25 minutes. In a medium bowl, toss the grapes with 2 teaspoons olive oil, sugar, ½ cup sherry vinegar, salt and pepper. Scatter the grapes with their vinegar sauce over and around the chicken and roast until the chicken is cooked through and the grapes are lightly caramelized, 20 to 25 minutes.
  4. Transfer the chicken to a serving platter to rest. Use the stems to lift out the grapes to rest alongside the chicken.. Place the skillet over medium- high heat. Swirl 2 tablespoons of vinegar into the pan juices and whisk in the butter , reduce for 4 to 5 minutes, until dense and slightly caramelized. Return the grapes to the thickened sauce and gently swirl around for a minute to coat.
  5. Scatter the glossy grape bunches around the chicken and pour the sauce over the chicken. Serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
  • Spatchcocking chicken, or butterflying, means cutting the chicken along its backbone, then opening it up so that it can lie flat in a pan or on a grill. Spatchcocked chickens cook quickly and evenly, turning uniformly brown and with a perfect crispy skin. You can ask your butcher to spatchcock the chicken for you, but it’s not a hard thing to do yourself. I use my sharp kitchen shears and I cut alongside the backbone, from one end of the bird to the other. Then I cut along the other side of the backbone to remove it completely and then I flatten the whole bird evenly with the palm of my hands.
  • You can roast 8 to 10 chicken parts (mix of bone-in breasts, thighs and drumsticks) instead of one spatchcocked chicken. Check the temperature with a digital thermometer at the 30 minute mark, removing and keeping warm any pieces that cook through early.
  • Thompson grapes are very sweet and appear at the end of the summer and beginning of fall. You can substitute with any kind of sweet and seedless black grape or plums to make this lovely recipe all year around.
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Grilled Spatchcocked Chicken with Lemon and Parsley

Grilled Spatchcocked Chicken with Lemon and Parsley
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Recipe by Silvia Baldini—Spatchcocking, or butterflying, a chicken means cutting out its backbone and opening it like a book so that it lies flat while cooking. It ensures that the chicken will cook quickly and evenly and turn a uniform brown with perfectly crispy skin.  When smothered in mustard and marinated overnight with garlic, lemon and a large bunch of parsley, this chicken grills to perfection and tastes superlative without doing too much work. You can splash the cooked chicken with a quick balsamic vinaigrette like I do or serve it just the way it is. Either way, it’s delicious. Ask your butcher to spatchcock the chicken for you, but it’s not a hard thing to do yourself. I use my sharp kitchen shears and I cut alongside the backbone, from one end of the bird to the other. Then I cut along the other side of the backbone to remove it completely and then I flatten the whole bird evenly with the palm of my hands. Happy BBQ season!
Servings Prep Time
4 to 6 people 30 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
50 minutes 1 hour minimum or overnight for marinating time
Servings Prep Time
4 to 6 people 30 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
50 minutes 1 hour minimum or overnight for marinating time
Grilled Spatchcocked Chicken with Lemon and Parsley
Yum
Print Recipe
Recipe by Silvia Baldini—Spatchcocking, or butterflying, a chicken means cutting out its backbone and opening it like a book so that it lies flat while cooking. It ensures that the chicken will cook quickly and evenly and turn a uniform brown with perfectly crispy skin.  When smothered in mustard and marinated overnight with garlic, lemon and a large bunch of parsley, this chicken grills to perfection and tastes superlative without doing too much work. You can splash the cooked chicken with a quick balsamic vinaigrette like I do or serve it just the way it is. Either way, it’s delicious. Ask your butcher to spatchcock the chicken for you, but it’s not a hard thing to do yourself. I use my sharp kitchen shears and I cut alongside the backbone, from one end of the bird to the other. Then I cut along the other side of the backbone to remove it completely and then I flatten the whole bird evenly with the palm of my hands. Happy BBQ season!
Servings Prep Time
4 to 6 people 30 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
50 minutes 1 hour minimum or overnight for marinating time
Servings Prep Time
4 to 6 people 30 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
50 minutes 1 hour minimum or overnight for marinating time
Ingredients
Chicken
  • 1 tablespoon fine sea salt, plus more as needed
  • 1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper, plus more as needed
  • 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 2 large lemons (1 lemon for 1 teaspoon grated zest and 2 tablespoons of juice; and 1 lemon for slicing)
  • 2 medium garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 bunch fresh flat Italian parsley
  • 1 4 ½- to 5-lb whole chicken, spatchcocked
Balsamic Vinaigrette
  • ½ cup water
  • ½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup dark aged balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 bunch bunch fresh flat Italian parsley, finely chopped
  • ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Servings: people
Instructions
  1. In a small bowl, combine salt, pepper, mustard, lemon zest, lemon juice, minced garlic and 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
  2. Rub this mixture generously all over both sides of the chicken. Place the chicken skin-side up in a rimmed and lined baking sheet and top with parsley and lemon slices Cover tightly and store in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.
  3. When you’re ready to cook, remove the chicken from the fridge and let it stand on the counter for 30 minutes. Preheat the grill or oven to 475°F. 
  4. Uncover the chicken, drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and cook, skin side up, for 20 to 25 minutes. 
  5. While the chicken is cooking make the vinaigrette. In a small pan, combine the the water, lemon and sugar, then bring to a boil. Turn down the heat and add the balsamic vinegar. Cook for 5 to 8 minutes, or until thick and slightly reduced. 
  6. Turn off the heat and whisk in olive oil, parsley, salt and pepper and set aside.
  7. Flip the chicken skin side down and cook for another 20 to 25 minutes, until the meat is cooked through and the skin is very crispy and brown all over but not burned.
  8. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board to rest. Drizzle the chicken with a couple of tablespoons of the vinaigrette. Carve and serve with the remaining vinaigrette.
Recipe Notes
  • If you like, you can skip the vinaigrette and just serve the chicken as is or with a generous splash of balsamic vinegar.
  • Grilled fresh figs or halved peaches make a lovely addition
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Cast-Iron Roasted Honey and Citrus Chicken with Crispy Potatoes

Cast-Iron Roasted Honey and Citrus Chicken with Crispy Potatoes
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Recipe by Silvia Baldini — This is one is one of my favorite and deliciously nurturing recipe for roasted chicken. It’s a bit different from the usually roasted chickens; It’s cooked in a cast iron pan or a Dutch oven. This chicken is comfort food with a twist. It calls for honey and tangerine juice. As the chicken roasts, the honey condenses and caramelizes, becoming thicker and stickier and turning the chicken’s skin crisp and brown, the tangerine adds an unusual citrusy taste to the otherwise bland meat. Honey and tangerines not only donate a sweet and sour taste, they also infuse the meal with vitamins and winter goodness. You have to remember to rotate the chicken and baste the bird because the skin burns in spots. Rest the chicken for 10 to 15 minutes before carving.  The juices are tangy and sweet and the potatoes come out crispy and flavorful. This roasted chicken is great for a family meal or be like Harry and Meg and make it for your engagement night.
Servings Prep Time
4/6 people 30 minutes
Cook Time
50 minutes
Servings Prep Time
4/6 people 30 minutes
Cook Time
50 minutes
Cast-Iron Roasted Honey and Citrus Chicken with Crispy Potatoes
Yum
Print Recipe
Recipe by Silvia Baldini — This is one is one of my favorite and deliciously nurturing recipe for roasted chicken. It’s a bit different from the usually roasted chickens; It’s cooked in a cast iron pan or a Dutch oven. This chicken is comfort food with a twist. It calls for honey and tangerine juice. As the chicken roasts, the honey condenses and caramelizes, becoming thicker and stickier and turning the chicken’s skin crisp and brown, the tangerine adds an unusual citrusy taste to the otherwise bland meat. Honey and tangerines not only donate a sweet and sour taste, they also infuse the meal with vitamins and winter goodness. You have to remember to rotate the chicken and baste the bird because the skin burns in spots. Rest the chicken for 10 to 15 minutes before carving.  The juices are tangy and sweet and the potatoes come out crispy and flavorful. This roasted chicken is great for a family meal or be like Harry and Meg and make it for your engagement night.
Servings Prep Time
4/6 people 30 minutes
Cook Time
50 minutes
Servings Prep Time
4/6 people 30 minutes
Cook Time
50 minutes
Ingredients
  • 1 3 1/2 - 4 pounds whole chicken
  • 4 cloves of garlic
  • 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 1 medium white onion, halved
  • 4 leaves fresh sage
  • 3 medium tangerines
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 1/2 cup Honey
  • 1 1/2 pounds russet potatoes, scrubbed, thinly sliced crosswise
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 tablespoon thyme leaves
  • 1 tablespoons olive oil
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • fine sea salt
Servings: people
Instructions
  1. Prep the chicken. Season with salt and pepper the cavities and the outside. Stuff the chicken with the garlic, the rosemary, sage and the 2 onions half. Slice one of the tangerines in thin slices and place the chicken and the tangerine slices aside.
  2. Place a rack in upper third of oven and set a 12" cast-iron skillet or 3-qt. enameled cast-iron baking dish on rack. Preheat oven to 425° F.
  3. Meanwhile, toss potatoes, butter, thyme, and 1 tablespoon oil in a large bowl to coat; season with salt and pepper.
  4. Once oven reaches temperature, drizzle the oil into hot skillet (this helps keep the chicken from sticking and tearing the skin). Place the tangerine slice at the bottom of the skillet and the chicken in the center of tangerine and arrange potatoes around.
  5. Juice the 2 remaining tangerines. In a tall jug combine the tangerine juice with the balsamic vinegar, the honey, the garlic cloves, the rosemary and a pinch of salt and pepper. Whiz with a hand held blender for a minute or two.
  6. Spoon all but 1/4 cup of liquid over all the chicken. Place chicken in oven and roast for 10 minutes. Spoon accumulated juices back over chicken, reverse pan back to front, and return to oven. Repeat a couple of times, basting every 10 minutes and switching pan position each time. If chicken browns too quickly, lower heat a bit. If juices dry up, use reserved liquid and 1 or 2 tablespoons of water.
  7. After 50 minutes of roasting, insert an instant-read thermometer into a thigh; when it reads 155 to 165 degrees, remove chicken from oven, and baste one final time. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.
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