figgy piggy chicken

 

ingredients

1/2 pound sliced bacon
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced lengthwise
one 5 pound free-range whole fryer chicken
10 fresh thyme sprigs
12 fresh black or green figs, quartered
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 
coarse sea salt
freshly ground pepper

directions

Preheat oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit

In Donna Hay’s cookbook, ‘The Instant Cook’, she outlines a method to speed up the cooking time for whole chickens.  I have implemented her technique in this recipe with stellar results.

First rinse the chicken, remove any gizzards and pat dry with paper towels.  Place the bird, breast side down, on a large plate or plastic cutting board.  With sharp kitchen shears, cut through the spine, from tail to neck.  It requires a good measure of elbow grease to cut through the bone and cartilage but can be done.

The result is a flatter bird with more surface area which means faster cooking.  Because the skin and bones remain intact, the meat does not dry out during cooking.  Rub meat with 1-2 teaspoons sea salt and 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper.  Set aside.

In a large, heavy-bottom, high-sided skillet or dutch oven, cook bacon over medium, until lightly crisped.  Transfer to paper towels to drain.  Reserve bacon drippings in skillet.  Add garlic, stirring until golden, about 1 minute.  Transfer to paper towels with bacon. 

Turn heat to medium-high.  Once the bacon fat begins to smoke, add the chicken, breast side down.  Brown for 6 –8 minutes.  Using tongs, turn chicken on its wing side, resting against the wall of the skillet, and brown for 3 –4 minutes.  Repeat on other side.

Place the chicken breast side up in the skillet.  Scatter thyme and figs over the chicken.  Place pan in the oven and roast for about 25 – 30 minutes or until internal temperature registers 165 degrees. 

Transfer chicken and figs to a serving platter.  Deglaze pan with lemon juice by simmering on the stovetop over medium-high heat.  Stir, scraping up crispy brown bits for a minute or so.  Pour over chicken.

To revive bacon, place in oven on low broil for 1 – 2 minutes, watching closely so as not to burn.  Scatter bacon and garlic over the chicken. 

Serve with: roasted cauliflower with kalamata vinaigrette

Drink with a slightly sweet white, preferably with notes of honey and dried honey.  Muscatel or Gewurztraminer are good bets.

recipe adapted from Gourmet magazine, September 2009