Rustic Chicken Bread Salad Recipes

ROAST CHICKEN WITH BREAD AND ARUGULA SALAD

Steps:

• 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 the garlic under the skin. Put the lemon in the cavity. Tie the legs together and tuck the wings under the body. Sprinkle with 2 teaspoons of sea salt and the pepper, cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 24 to 48 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. (Be sure your oven is very clean!) 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 the pan drippings on top.
• Place the Arugula Salad in a very large, shallow serving platter. Put 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 (see note) and place it on top of the salad. Spoon the pan juices over the chicken, sprinkle it with sea salt, and serve warm.
• Whisk the vinegar, mustard, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper together in a small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whisk in the olive oil, stir in the scallions and currants, and set aside.
• Place the arugula in a large bowl, add the vinaigrette, and toss well.

ROASTED-CHICKEN BREAD SALAD WITH PEAS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Let chicken stand at room temperature 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in separate batches, blanch fresh peas and snap peas (or just snap peas, if using frozen green peas) in a medium pot of salted boiling water until bright green and just tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to an ice-water bath; let cool completely. Drain. Slice snap peas in half on the bias.
• Pat chicken dry and transfer to a large ovenproof skillet. Rub all over with 1 tablespoon oil. Season with salt and pepper. Roast until chicken is golden and a thermometer inserted into thigh (avoiding bone) registers 160 degrees, about 45 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest 10 minutes before carving. Loosely tent with foil to keep warm.
• Skim fat from skillet; discard. Whisk lemon juice and 1/4 cup oil into skillet, then season with salt and pepper.
• Heat broiler. Arrange bread on a rimmed baking sheet and toss with remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Season with salt and pepper. Broil, tossing occasionally, until toasted, about 2 minutes.
• In a large bowl, combine toasted bread with both peas. Drizzle with lemon dressing and toss to coat. Arrange bread salad on a platter and top with chicken and pea shoots; serve.

ROAST CHICKEN WITH BROILED-VEGETABLE-AND-BREAD SALAD

Steps:

• Sprinkle chicken with 1 tablespoon salt, and season with pepper. Stuff thyme under skin of breast and thighs and in cavity. Let chicken stand at least 1 hour (or refrigerate up to 24 hours, and bring to room temperature) before roasting.
• Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Place a baking dish or ovenproof skillet just large enough to fit chicken in oven 5 minutes. Pat chicken dry, then place breast side up in hot baking dish. Roast, rotating dish and basting once, until skin is golden and chicken is 160 degrees in the thickest part of thigh, 40 to 45 minutes. Let rest at least 15 minutes, then carve.
• Skim fat from juices in baking dish. Pour remaining juices (about 2 tablespoons) into a measuring cup; add oil to come to 1/4 cup. Whisk in lemon juice and vinegar. Add capers and 1 teaspoon salt; season with pepper.
• Preheat broiler. Drizzle bread slices with oil. Toast until browned on both sides. While warm, rub with cut sides of garlic. Tear into bite-size pieces, and place in a bowl. Drizzle eggplant and peppers with oil, season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Spread onto 2 rimmed baking sheets; broil about 8 inches from heat source until browned and tender, 10 to 12 minutes, flipping halfway through. Cut into bite-size pieces, and add to bowl. Add Swiss chard, toss all together, pour on three-quarters of the dressing, and toss again. Transfer to a platter, and top with chicken. Serve remaining dressing on the side.

RUSTIC CHICKEN BREAD SALAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
• Spread bread cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet.
• Bake 5 minutes; stir.
• Continue baking 3 to 5 minutes or until toasted.
• Cool.
• Whisk vinegar with garlic, salt and pepper, then add olive oil.
• Core tomatoes; cut lengthwise down the centre into bite-sized wedges.
• Place in a large salad bowl suitable for tossing.
• Cut red onion into rings and add to tomatoes along with olives and basil.
• Whisk dressing; pour over tomato mixture.
• Stir gently from bottom until well mixed.
• Leave at room temperature, stirring occasionally, until ready to use.
• When read to serve, add cooled bread cubes and chicken to tomato mixture; gently toss.
• Serve right away garnished with Parmesan cheese.

RUSTIC CHICKEN SALAD

Steps:

• 1. Place 4 quarts of water in a large pot. Add the onion, celery, carrots, parsley, bay leaves, salt, and peppercorns. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer for 15 minutes.
• 2. Add the chicken; return to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer for 15 minutes or until cooked through. Remove from the liquid and cool to room temperature. Remove the skin.
• 3. Shred the chicken into large pieces. Place in a large bowl.
• 4. Trim the fennel bulbs and slice lengthwise into strips 1/4-inch wide. Add to chicken with the green beans, tomatoes, capers, olives, parley, and chopped fennel ferns.
• 5. Season with salt and pepper. Shortly before serving, toss with the vinaigrette to prevent the greens from discoloring.