Roast Chicken with Chickpea Puree

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A chef once told me: “you can measure a cook’s skills by his or her ability to roast a chicken.” I don’t know whether that’s a verified fact, but what I do know is that mastering the art of roasting chicken proved to be a more than useful skill to me. Not only is roast chicken a delicious option for last minute dinner parties, but leftovers make for wonderful next day creations. From salads to soups, sandwiches, rice dishes and quesadillas, the uses of roast chicken are endless. So, the next time you find yourself with 1 hour to plan a dinner party on a poor man’s budget, think chicken and chickpeas.

Roast Chicken
1 whole chicken cleaned ~ 3.5lbs (giblets removed)
1 tbsp of butter
1 tbsp of olive oil
1 tsp of dried herbs de Provence (optional)
Kosher salt
pepper

Heat the oven to 425 degres F.

Trim the chicken of excess fat and pat it dry with a paper towel. Truss the bird with some kitchen twine and generously season it with salt, pepper and the herbs if you’re using any.

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Heat up the olive oil in an oven-proof pan large enough to fit the chicken. Brown the chicken on all sides starting with one side, then the breast, the other side and finally the back. Put a tablespoon of butter on top of the breast and roast the chicken on its back for approximately 45 minutes. Baste periodically.

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The chicken is ready when the juices run clear and the internal temperature registers ~150 degree F. Remove the chicken from the pan and let it rest while you prepare the chickpea puree. Defat the pan juice and set aside.

Chickpea Puree
1 can of chickpeas drained
1 shallot chopped
1 garlic clove
Salt & pepper

Saute the shallot in the pan used to roast the chicken. Add the garlic, chickpeas and deglaze the pan with 1/3 cup of water. Make sure to scrape the bottom the pan to get all the good stuff. Add some of the chicken pan juice and season with salt and pepper. Simmer for five minutes.

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