PAN-ROASTED HALF BONELESS CHICKEN WITH SAUTéED ESCAROLE

Pan-Roasted Half Boneless Chicken with Sautéed Escarole image

This is one of those dishes where patronizing a local butcher, instead of a chain grocery store, will mean success. To halve and bone a couple of chickens is not an easy task, so leave this to the experts. Be specific with your butcher: request boneless chicken halves, meaning the first joint of the wing is clipped off and the only bone in the bird is the one that attaches the lower part of the wing to the breast, also known as an "airline." As an alternative, buy boneless chicken parts. There aren't a lot of ingredients to this dish; it really is all about the quality of chicken and a couple of well-seasoned cast-iron skillets. To get the super crispy skin, it is imperative that the chicken lies flat in the pan. Serve this with Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes (page 193) for a perfect Sunday supper.

Yield serves 4

Number Of Ingredients 10

Ingredients

Two 3-pound chickens, halved and boned, skin on, or 3 pounds boneless chicken
parts, skin on, preferably free-range
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup canola oil
2 heads escarole (about 1 1/2 pounds; see Note, page 106)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 450°F.
Place two cast-iron or heavy-bottomed ovenproof skillets over high heat; cast iron will yield a crispier skin. Season the chickens generously with salt and pepper; you should see the seasoning on the meat. Coat each pan with 2 tablespoons of canola oil. Once the oil is shimmering, lay the chicken halves in the pans, skin side down. It's super important to make sure the chicken lies flat and all of the skin is in contact with the pan. Cook until the skin starts to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Do not move the chicken or the skin will tear. Transfer the pans to the oven and roast until the juices run clear when the meat is pierced with a knife, about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, cut the escarole lengthwise through the core and then crosswise into 1/2-inch-wide strips. Put the escarole in a large bowl of water. Swish the water around; sand will fall to the bottom of the bowl. Lift the escarole out with your hands and put it on a kitchen towel to dry; you should have about 5 quarts of escarole. It might seem like a lot, but trust me, it cooks down dramatically.
Put a large pot or skillet over medium heat and coat with the olive oil. When the oil is shimmering, add the garlic and cook, stirring, until golden, about 30 seconds. Raise the heat to high and add several handfuls of the escarole, stirring to coat with the oil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the escarole starts to wilt. When there is more room in the pan, add the rest of the escarole. Cook until most of the liquid is evaporated, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Transfer the chicken to a warm platter, skin side up. To make a quick pan sauce, pour out the excess fat from the pan drippings. Place the pans over two burners set on medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons wine to each pan. Using a wooden spoon, scrape up the brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Add 1 tablespoon butter to each, stirring to melt, and sprinkle with parsley.
To serve, divide the escarole among 4 plates and lay half a roasted chicken on top, skin side up. Drizzle the pan sauce on top.