ROAST HALF CHICKEN WITH CASHEW TARATOR AND CELERY

Roast Half Chicken With Cashew Tarator and Celery image

Chefs do crazy things with nuts. In this otherwise straightforward chicken dish, cashews are transformed into a creamy sauce, and candied spiced walnuts are used as a crunchy topper.

Provided by Renee Erickson

Categories Bon Appétit Chicken Roast Cashew Coriander Walnut Seed Celery Dinner Peanut Free Soy Free

Yield Serves 2

Number Of Ingredients 23

Ingredients

For the spicy walnuts:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 large egg white
1/2 cup (packed) light brown sugar
2 cups walnut halves
For the cashew tarator:
2 cups cashews
1 1/4-inch-thick slice white bread, torn
1 garlic clove, finely grated
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 cup olive oil
Kosher salt
For the chicken:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more
1/2 (3 1/2-4-pound) chicken (backbone removed)
Kosher salt
1 celery stalk, thinly sliced, plus 1/4 cup celery leaves
1 tablespoon mixed unsalted, roasted seeds (such as pumpkin, sunflower, and/or hemp)
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Steps:

Make the spicy walnuts:
Preheat oven to 300°F. Melt butter in a small skillet over medium, remove from heat, and mix in salt and cayenne. Whisk egg white in a medium bowl until soft peaks form; stir in brown sugar. Add seasoned butter and walnuts and fold to coat nuts.
Spread nuts out on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet; bake, tossing every 10 minutes or so, until mixture is dry and nuts are toasted, 25-30 minutes. Let cool.
Make the cashew tarator:
Increase oven temperature to 350°F. Toast cashews on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing once, until golden brown, 8-10 minutes. Let cool.
Pulse cashews, bread, garlic, lemon juice, coriander, and 3/4 cup water in a food processor to combine. With motor running, stream in oil; process just to incorporate. Pulse, adding a splash or so of water if too thick, until a coarse purée forms; season with salt.
Make the chicken:
Increase oven temperature to 475°F. Heat butter and 1 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Once butter is foaming, place chicken in pan, skin side up. Tilt pan and spoon butter mixture over chicken until the entire surface is coated. Sprinkle with a generous pinch of salt and transfer to oven. Roast chicken, rotating pan halfway through, until skin is golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a thigh registers 165°F, 25-30 minutes. Transfer chicken to a cutting board and let rest 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, toss celery, celery leaves, mixed seeds, lemon juice, and 1/2 cup spicy walnuts in a medium bowl. Drizzle with oil, season with salt, and toss again.
Spoon tarator onto a platter and top with celery salad and chicken.
Do Ahead
Spicy Walnuts can be made 5 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature. Cashew Tarator can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Bring to room temperature before using.