Chicken: Roast Chicken with Pistachio Salsa, Peppers and Corn

By á-3151

Cerciello marinates small chickens with garlic and herbs, then roasts them until golden. In summer, he serves them with a quick, piquant sauté of corn and peppers along with a chunky pistachio sauce that’s so good, you’ll want to make it all season long.

Ingredients

• Chickens
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, minced, mashed to a paste with the back of a knife
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves plus sprigs for stuffing
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
• 2 1/2–3-pound whole chickens
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 lemon, halved
• Peppers and Corn
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup minced red onion
• 1/4 cup minced capers plus 1–2 teaspoons caper brine
• Kosher salt
• 8 cups thinly sliced yellow, orange, and red bell peppers (about 5 large peppers)
• 4 red Fresno chiles, seeded, thinly sliced
• 3 cups fresh corn kernels (from about 4 ears)
• 2 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• Pistachio Salsa
• 1 cup unsalted shelled pistachios, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh chives
• 2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Details

Servings 6
Adapted from bonappetit.com

Preparation

Step 1

Chickens
Whisk lemon juice, oil, garlic, 3 Tbsp. thyme, rosemary, and sage in a small bowl; set marinade aside.
Season chickens with salt and pepper inside and out. Place each inside a resealable plastic bag; divide marinade between bags. Spread marinade evenly to distribute. Seal bags and chill for at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours.
Preheat oven to 450°. Transfer chickens from bags to a small roasting pan; gently blot excess oil from marinade with paper towels, leaving herbs intact on chicken skin. Stuff each chicken with a lemon half and several thyme sprigs. Tie legs together with kitchen twine, if desired.
Roast until well browned, 30–35 minutes. Reduce heat to 350° and continue roasting, occasionally basting chickens with pan juices, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165°, 20–30 minutes longer. Transfer chickens to a carving board; let rest for 20 minutes before carving.

Peppers and Corn
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, capers, and red pepper flakes. Season with salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is soft but not brown, about 5 minutes. Add peppers and chiles; season with salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, 10–12 minutes. Stir in caper brine, corn, parsley, and vinegar just before serving.

Pistachio Salsa
Combine first 4 ingredients in a small bowl. Stir in oil. DOAHEADCan be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill. Let come to room temperature before serving. Serve with chicken, peppers and corn.