Cast Iron Chicken with Pan Sauce

One of my all time favorites for Sunday supper. So simple, but rustic, rich, incredibly juicy, and full of flavor. Gather your friends and family around the table for this one!

Cast Iron Roasted Half Chicken

(Serves me; or 2 normal people)

1 ea        farm fresh chicken, back boned removed and cut in half

1 ea        offal from one chicken

2 cups        buttermilk

4 sprigs        fresh thyme, whole sprigs

2 Tbl        *garlic confit oil

6 Tbl        butter, split into 3- 2 Tbl segments

1 ea        shallot, julienne

½ cup        mushroom stems, whole

3 ea        whole garlic clove, skin on, smashed    

2 cups        *chicken stock

2 Tbl        chives, finely chopped

2 Tbl        flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

½ ea        lemon, juiced and zested

to taste        kosher or sea salt

 

Preheat oven to 450˚F (convection oven, fan-on) or 450˚F (if using a conventional oven, chicken might take another 15 minutes or so to cook).

Remove backbone and neck from chicken, save for later use.  Pour buttermilk over chicken, add half of fresh thyme sprigs and marinate in buttermilk for 24 hours in refrigerator.

Remove chicken from buttermilk, pat dry with paper towels and allow to sit at room temperature for about an hour, allowing the skin to dry out.  

Add garlic oil to cast iron skillet over medium heat.  Season chicken generously with salt and pepper.  Sear chicken, skin side down until golden brown. 

Remove chicken from pan and add chicken offal, shallot, garlic clove, mushroom stems, another 1/3rd of butter and remaining thyme sprigs.  Season with salt.  Continue to sauté until shallot and mushroom stems are caramelized. 

Deglaze pan with chicken stock and gently scrape bottom of pan. Bring to boil and add second, 1/3rd of butter.   

Place chicken back in pan, skin side up, and roast in oven for 45 minutes. 

Remove chicken from pan and allow to rest while finishing sauce.

Bring sauce mixture back to boil and reduce until the mixture can coat the back of a spoon.  Strain through a fine mesh sieve. 

Add last 1/3rd of butter, lemon juice and fresh herbs.  Stir to incorporate.  Place chicken back in cast iron and baste to glaze.  Season with lemon zest and finishing salt. 

Serve to your Mom.