Pan-Roasted Chicken Halves, Herb Salad, Tahini & Sumac Onions
These Pan-Roasted Chicken Halves are crispy on the outside, juicy and tender in the middle and absolutely loaded with flavour.
Servings: 2 servings
Ingredients
For the Pan-Roasted Chicken:
- 1 small chicken around 2 pounds
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly-cracked black pepper
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 3 tablespoons grass-fed butter substitute ghee for Whole30 and Paleo
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 3 cloves garlic skins on and lightly smashed
For the Herb Salad:
- 7 ounces mâche AKA lamb’s lettuce, corn salad, valerianella, substitute watercress
- 1 cup parsley leaves roughly torn
- 1 cup dill leaves roughly torn
- 1/2 cup fresh chives roughly chopped
- 12 fresh mint leaves roughly torn
- 2 large radishes thinly sliced into discs
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Juice of 1/2 a lemon
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly-cracked black pepper
For the Sumac Onions:
- 1 red onion thinly sliced
- Juice ¼ lemon
- 1 teaspoon sumac
For the Tahini Sauce:
- ½ cup 100% pure toasted sesame seed paste AKA tahini
- 1 large clove garlic finely chopped or grated
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup ice cold water plus more or less as needed
Instructions
For the Pan-Roasted Chicken:
- Preheat oven to 400F.
- Using a sharp knife or pair of kitchen shears, cut along both sides of the chicken’s backbone to separate it from the carcass. Place the chicken breast-side down and make an incision in the middle of the breast plate. Using your knife, press down and slice through the back of the breast bone and meat to cut the chicken in half. Tuck the tip of each wing behind each breast.
- In a bowl, combine the smoked paprika, paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Generously season both sides of the chicken and massage to coat.
- Preheat an oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Add the avocado oil and heat until shimmering. Add the chicken halves and backbone skin-side down first. Cover loosely with a piece of parchment paper and top with a heavy pan to weigh it down. Cook, undisturbed, until the skin is golden brown and crispy, around 8 minutes. Flip the chicken and add the butter, thyme and garlic to the pan. Using a large spoon, baste the chicken with the melted butter for 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the pan to the oven and cook the chicken until the thickest part of the breast registers 160F, around 12 minutes.
- Remove the chicken from the oven, transfer to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm until ready to serve.
For the Herb Salad:
- In a large bowl, combine the mâche, parsley, dill, chives, mint, radish, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Toss everything to combine and serve with the pan-roasted chicken.
For the Sumac Onions:
- In a bowl, combine the onion, lemon juice and sumac. Toss to coat and gently squeeze the onions until slightly tender. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
For the Tahini Sauce:
- In a bowl, combine the sesame seed paste, garlic, lemon juice and salt. Whisk until combined and a paste forms. While continuously whisking, slowly pour in the water a little bit at a time until the sauce is smooth and can coats the back of a spoon. If your tahini sauce is too thick, add a bit more water. If it’s too runny, add a bit more sesame seed paste. Taste for seasoning and adjust with salt or garlic as needed. Cover and set aside until ready to serve.