HexClad Perfect Roast Chicken With Pine Nut & Currant Salad

Preparation

Inspired by the legendary roast chicken with bread salad at San Francisco’s legendary Zuni café, this recipe turns out perfectly seasoned chicken with crispy skin. Our recipe features a few essential guidelines for roasting your chicken. Roasting your chicken on the Hexclad rack allows hot air to circulate all around the bird, while roasted potatoes sizzle in the savory drippings below. Serve with potatoes, garlic, and lemons with the chicken and Mixed Chicories Salad with Pine Nut Currant Red Wine Vinaigrette. Grilled bread is a great accompaniment to this meal.

Enjoy crisp skin every time with our  5 Tips.  

• Pre-salt  for deep seasoning and juicy chicken
• Place herbs under the skin by separating the skin to create air pockets
• No extra fat is needed for crisp skin
• Roast at high heat
• Flip the chicken during cooking to crisp all sides.

Bonus tip: Resting your roast chicken is extra important. It allows all the juices to be reabsorbed into the meat before slicing.

PREPARE THE CHICKEN

1. Season the chicken evenly all over with 2 ¼ teaspoons salt and a few generous grinds of pepper. Using your finger, gently lift the skin of each breast, separating it from the meat enough to slide a sprig of herbs under the skin. Find the edge of each chicken thigh, and separate the skin there too, making enough space to insert herb sprigs under the skin. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours or up to 48 hours. Bring the chicken to room temperature for an hour before roasting. 

ROAST THE CHICKEN

1. Preheat the oven to 450ºF with a rack in the center. Toss the potatoes with salt and spread evenly in the bottom of the HexClad Small Roasting Pan. Place the rack overtop and arrange the chicken on top, breast side up. Slice the tops off the heads of garlic and nestle the garlic and lemons on the rack with the chicken.  
2. Roast for 30 minutes. The chicken should be sizzling. Then, take the pan out of the oven and carefully flip the chicken using tongs and a spatula, so the breast is facing down. Roast for another 20 minutes to crisp the back of the chicken. Take the pan out of the oven and carefully flip the chicken, so the breast is facing up. Roast to re-crisp the skin on the breast, about 15 minutes. To test for doneness, insert a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh, avoiding any bone. It should read 165ºF.  
3. Remove from the oven and allow chicken to rest at least 15 minutes before carving. Squeeze the roasted lemons over the potatoes 

MAKE THE PINE NUT & RED CURRANT DRESSING

1. Place currants in a heatproof bowl and pour ¼ of the vinegar and the boiling water over them. Cover and soak for 10 minutes. Drain.
2. Meanwhile, combine the shallots with the remaining 2 tablespoons of vinegar, mustard, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Let stand at least 10 minutes. Whisk the oil into the shallot mixture and stir in the drained currants and pine nuts.   

SERVE

1. Slice the chicken as desired and serve chicken, potatoes, and greens topped with pine nut and red currant dressing.