Cast Iron Roast Chicken With Caramelized Leeks Recipes

CAST-IRON ROAST CHICKEN WITH CARAMELIZED LEEKS

Steps:

• Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season generously with salt, inside and out. (We use 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1/2 tsp. Morton kosher salt per lb.) Tie legs together with kitchen twine. Let sit 1 hour to allow salt to penetrate, or chill, uncovered, up to 1 day ahead.
• Place a rack in upper third of oven and set a 12" cast-iron skillet or 3-qt. enameled cast-iron baking dish on rack. Preheat oven to 425°F.
• Meanwhile, toss leeks and 2 Tbsp. oil in a medium bowl to coat; season with salt and pepper.
• Once oven reaches temperature, pat chicken dry with paper towels and lightly coat with half of the remaining oil; sprinkle with dry rub, if using. Drizzle remaining oil into hot skillet (this helps keep the chicken from sticking and tearing the skin). Place chicken in the center of skillet and arrange leeks around. Roast until leeks are browned at edges and tender and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of breasts registers 155°F, 50-60 minutes (temperature will climb to 165°F as chicken rests). Let chicken rest in skillet at least 20 minutes and up to 45 minutes.
• Transfer chicken to a cutting board and carve. Serve with leeks.

SKILLET CHICKEN WITH LEEKS AND CARROTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F. Pat chicken dry; season generously with salt and pepper. Heat a large, heavy ovenproof skillet (such as cast iron) over medium-high. Add butter and 1 tablespoon oil. When butter melts and foam subsides, add chicken, skin-sides down. Cook, undisturbed, until skin lifts easily from skillet and forms a golden-brown crust, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate, skin-sides up.
• Add leeks, carrots, bread cubes, garlic, lemon zest, and remaining 2 tablespoons oil to skillet, stirring to evenly coat; season with salt and pepper. Return chicken and any accumulated juices to skillet, arranging breasts on top of vegetables in a single layer, skin-sides up.
• Roast until a thermometer inserted into thickest part of breasts reads 160°F, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate and loosely cover to keep warm. Stir mint into skillet; return to oven. Roast until vegetables are tender and golden and bread turns crisp, 10 to 12 minutes. Stir 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice into vegetable mixture and sprinkle with more mint leaves. Drizzle remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice over rested chicken. Carve chicken; serve with vegetable mixture.

SPLAYED ROAST CHICKEN WITH CARAMELIZED RAMPS

Steps:

• Rub the chicken inside and out with salt and pepper. If you have time, do this 2 to 3 hours ahead and refrigerate the bird uncovered. Otherwise, let it rest uncovered at room temperature while oven heats.
• Place a large cast-iron or other heavy skillet in the oven and heat to 500 degrees for 45 minutes. If you salted the chicken in advance, take it out of the fridge so it can warm to room temperature.
• Meanwhile, prep the ramps: trim the hairy bottoms and remove the outer layer of skin. Separate the leaves from the bulbs, rinse both gently, and pat dry. Cut any fat bulbs (wider than a pencil) in half lengthwise. Tear the leaves into large pieces.
• Transfer the chicken to a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, cut the skin connecting the legs to the body. Splay the thighs open until you feel the joint pop on each side. Place 2 lemon wedges inside the chicken.
• Carefully transfer chicken, breast-side up, to the hot skillet. Press down on the legs so they rest flat on the bottom of the pan. Drizzle the bird with the oil. Roast for 30 minutes. Toss ramp bulbs (not leaves), garlic and capers into the skillet. Stir to coat them with pan juices. Roast for 5 minutes more, then stir again. Continue cooking until ramps are tender and chicken is no longer pink, 5 to 15 minutes more (for a total cooking time of 40 to 50 minutes).
• Remove chicken from oven and stir ramp leaves into the pan until just wilted. Let chicken rest for 5 minutes, then serve with the pan juices and ramps, garlic and capers, seasoning everything with juice from the remaining lemon wedges, if desired.