Roast Chicken with Bread and Arugula Salad

40-50m
Prep Time

45m
Cook Time

1h 25m
Ready In

Recipe: #44970

August 14, 2025

Categories: Salads, Main Dish Salad, Lemon, Garlic, Sunday Dinner, Oven Roast, High Fiber, High Protein, Oil, Chicken Dinner, more

recipe by:
ForeverMama

"This dish provides a comforting, healthy and refined flavored chicken, offering the perfect balance to satisfy mature taste buds while retaining a sense of simple home-style cooking. Source Cookbook: Ina Garten, Make it Ahead"

Original is 4-6 servings

Metric US

I've Tried It

Nutritional

Serving Size: 1 (654.3 g)
Calories 1673.5
Total Fat - 114.4 g
Saturated Fat - 25.4 g
Cholesterol - 562.8 mg
Sodium - 2259.5 mg
Total Carbohydrate - 18.3 g
Dietary Fiber - 5.1 g
Sugars - 4 g
Protein - 138.1 g
Calcium - 178.6 mg
Iron - 9.4 mg
Vitamin C - 33.2 mg
Thiamin - 0.5 mg

Step 1

Place the chicken in a baking dish. Using your fingers, gently loosen the skin from the breasts and thighs without breaking the skin. Carefully slide the sprigs of thyme and garlic under the skin. Carefully slide the sprigs of thyme and garlic until the skin. Put the lemon in the cavity. Tie the legs together and tuck the wings until the body. Sprinkle with 2 teaspoons of sea salt and the pepper, over the dish tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 24 - 48 hours.

Step 2

Preheat the oven to 500-degrees. (Be sure your oven is very clean!).

Step 3

Place the bread in a medium, 10-inch, cast iron skillet in a single layer. Brush the chicken with olive oil and place it, breast side up, on top of the bread. Roast for 30 minutes, turn it over and roast for 15 minutes, until the juices run clear when you cut between the leg and the thigh. Wrap the skillet tightly with aluminum foil and allow the chicken to rest at room temperature for a full 30 minutes. (Don't worry; it will stay hot.) The bread will be almost burnt on the bottom and soft with pan drippings on top.

Step 4

Meanwhile, prepare the salad dressing right before chicken is ready, but following *Salad Dressing Prep* method noted below.

Step 5

Place the arugula salad in a very large, shallow serving platter. Place the chicken and the bread on a cutting board. Cut the bread into 1-inch squares and sprinkle them on the salad. Carve the chicken thickly (refer to NOTE) and place it on top of the salad. Spoon the pan juices over the chicken, sprinkle it with the sea salt, and serve warm.

SALAD DRESSING PREP

Step 6

Whisk the first 4 ingredients (vinegar - black pepper) in a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whisk in the olive oil, stir in the scallions and currents or other dried fruits of choice; set aside.