Best Recipe for Roast Chicken with Crisp Toasts and Ricotta
Ingredients
- 1 3 1/2–4 pound chicken
- Kosher salt
- 8 fresh sage leaves
- 2 teaspoons flaky sea salt (such as Maldon)
- 1/4 cup pine nuts
- 3/4 cup fresh whole-milk ricotta
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- 1 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 4 1"-thick slices rustic sourdough loaf
- 3/4 cup dry Marsala
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, divided
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup spicy greens (such as arugula or watercress)
- 1 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling
Instructions
- Season chicken inside and out with kosher salt and chill, uncovered, 12–24 hours.
- Let chicken stand at room temperature 1 hour.
- Meanwhile, preheat oven to 450°.
- Pulse sage and sea salt in a food processor until finely ground. Add pine nuts and pulse until coarsely chopped. Transfer to a medium bowl and mix in ricotta, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Stuff chicken with ricotta mixture, then tie legs together with kitchen twine.
- Place chicken in a large ovenproof skillet or Dutch oven and rub all over with oil. Roast, basting every 10 minutes after the first 30 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a thigh registers 165°, 45–55 minutes. Brush butter over chicken and roast 5 minutes longer. Let rest 5 minutes.
- Arrange bread slices in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet or a cutting board with a well. Place chicken on top of bread and pour pan drippings over (reserve skillet). Tent chicken with foil and let rest 15–25 minutes, allowing bread to soak up juices.
- Marsala Sauce and Assembly: Heat reserved skillet over medium heat, then add wine, scraping up browned bits from bottom of skillet. Bring wine to a boil, reduce heat, and whisk in cream, broth, and butter until incorporated. Simmer, whisking often, until sauce coats the back of a spoon, 8–10 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in 1 tablespoons lemon juice, and season sauce with salt and pepper. Meanwhile, heat a medium cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium heat. Transfer soaked bread to pan and cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Set toasts aside. Toss greens, 1 tablespoons oil, and remaining 1 tablespoons lemon juice in a medium bowl; season with salt and pepper. Remove twine from chicken. Spoon stuffing onto reserved toasts and arrange on a platter. Cut chicken into quarters and place on top of bread. Pour sauce around; drizzle chicken with more oil and serve with greens.
- Heat reserved skillet over medium heat, then add wine, scraping up browned bits from bottom of skillet. Bring wine to a boil, reduce heat, and whisk in cream, broth, and butter until incorporated. Simmer, whisking often, until sauce coats the back of a spoon, 8–10 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in 1 tablespoons lemon juice, and season sauce with salt and pepper.
- Meanwhile, heat a medium cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium heat. Transfer soaked bread to pan and cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Set toasts aside.
- Toss greens, 1 tablespoons oil, and remaining 1 tablespoons lemon juice in a medium bowl; season with salt and pepper.
- Remove twine from chicken. Spoon stuffing onto reserved toasts and arrange on a platter. Cut chicken into quarters and place on top of bread. Pour sauce around; drizzle chicken with more oil and serve with greens.
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