Ina Garten Roast Chicken with Bread & Arugula Salad

Ina Garten Roast Chicken with Bread & Arugula Salad is an easy dinner made with a whole chicken, country bread and peppery arugula, ready in 1 hour 30 minutes. Try this make-ahead roast chicken for Sunday supper or a cozy family dinner, since the bread soaks up the pan juices.

Let the chicken rest wrapped in foil for a full 30 minutes after roasting, because that rest is what turns the bread soft and juicy on top. Carve it straight from the oven and the juices run onto the board instead of into the bread.

Ina Garten built this chicken as a tribute to the late Judy Rodgers of Zuni Café, whose rustic roast chicken with bread salad inspired it. She also borrows from Standard Grill in New York City, then roasts the chicken right on top of the bread so the drippings soak straight into it.

Source: Make It Ahead (2014)

Ina Garten Roast Chicken with Bread and Arugula Salad

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Course: DinnerCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Medium

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

45

minutes

Calories

650

kcal

Crackly roast chicken sits on top of bread squares that are crisp and almost burnt on the bottom and soft with drippings on top. Peppery arugula and the warm pan juices tie the whole platter together.

Ingredients

• 1 (4- to 4 1/2-pound) whole chicken, preferably Bell and Evans
  

• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
  

• 2 large garlic cloves, smashed flat
  

• 1 lemon, quartered
  

• 2 teaspoons fine sea salt, plus extra for serving
  

• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  

• 3 to 4 (3/4-inch-thick) slices country bread
  

• Good olive oil
  

• Arugula Salad (recipe follows)
  

Directions

• Season the chicken: Loosen the skin over the breasts and thighs with your fingers, then slide 4 sprigs of thyme and 2 smashed garlic cloves underneath. Put the quartered lemon in the cavity, tie the legs together and tuck the wings under the body.
• Salt and chill: Sprinkle the chicken with 2 teaspoons of fine sea salt and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper. Cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 24 to 48 hours.
• Preheat and set up: Preheat the oven to 500 degrees, and make sure it is very clean so it doesn't smoke. Then arrange 3 to 4 slices of country bread in a single layer in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet.
• Roast the chicken: Brush the chicken with olive oil and set it breast side up on the bread. Roast for 30 minutes, turn it over and roast 15 minutes more, until the juices run clear between the leg and the thigh.
• Rest in foil: Wrap the skillet tightly with aluminum foil and let the chicken rest at room temperature for a full 30 minutes. It stays hot, and the bread ends up almost burnt on the bottom and soft with drippings on top.
• Build the salad: Spread the arugula salad on a very large, shallow platter. Move the chicken and bread to a cutting board, then cut the bread into 1-inch squares and scatter them over the greens.
• Carve and serve: Carve the chicken thickly and lay the pieces on top of the salad. Spoon the pan juices over the chicken, sprinkle it with sea salt and serve warm.

Tools for this recipe

• Lodge 10.25-inch cast iron skillet, Regency butcher's twine, 500 ft, Victorinox Fibrox 8-inch chef's knife, Partanna Sicilian extra virgin olive oil, 1 liter. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I season the chicken ahead of time?

Yes, and the recipe depends on it, since the chicken sits salted in the fridge for 24 to 48 hours. That long rest seasons the meat all the way through.

How do I make this dinner ahead for guests?

Season the chicken a day or two before, then wash the arugula and mix the vinaigrette up to a day early, storing them apart in the fridge. On the night, roast the bird and toss the salad together just before everyone sits down.

Do I have to use a cast-iron skillet?

A 10-inch cast-iron skillet is what the recipe calls for, because it holds the bread in a single layer under the chicken. Any heavy oven-safe pan of similar size should work, though the bread may brown a little differently.

What's the easiest way to carve the chicken?

Cut off the legs first and separate the thighs from the drumsticks. Then cut off the wings, take each breast off in one big piece and slice it thickly crosswise.

What's the most common mistake with this recipe?

Skipping the smoke check is the big one, because a 500 degree oven with a dirty floor fills the kitchen with smoke. Clean the oven first, and don't skip the 30 minute foil rest either.