Garlic and Thyme Roasted Chicken With Crispy Drippings Croutons

From the NY Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/11/dining/111arex.html

Garlic and Thyme Roasted Chicken With Crispy Drippings Croutons

Time: 1 hour 25 minutes, plus 10 minutes’ resting


Country bread, ciabatta or other sturdy bread, preferably stale, sliced 1/2-inch thick

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, more as needed

2 teaspoons kosher salt, more as needed

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, more as needed

1 4- to 5-pound chicken, patted dry

1 garlic head, sliced in half horizontally, through the cloves

1 bay leaf

1/2 lemon

1/2 bunch thyme sprigs.



1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Lay bread slices in a metal roasting pan in one layer. Drizzle liberally with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

2. Rub 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper inside cavity of chicken. Stuff cavity with garlic, bay leaf, lemon and thyme. Rub outside of chicken with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle all over with remaining salt and pepper. Place it breast side up on bread.

3. Roast chicken until it is deeply browned and juices run clear when thigh is pricked with a knife, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes before carving. Serve chicken with bread from pan.

Yield: 4 servings.

Rice pilaf (brown 3 tbsp butter with a minced onion, then add 1 tsp salt and 1.5 cups of rinsed rice with 2.5 cups chicken stock and you have the yummiest rice ever).