Zuni inspired roasted chicken

I purchased this beautiful cookbook after i attended a dinner held by a local friend.

If you are in the San Diego area, get on the email list for cellar door. 

Logan and Gary are amazing.

The Zuni Cafe roasted chicken is traditionally served with a bread salad 

which is delicious but not great for my type1 diabetic loved one. 

In this blog recipe I omit the bread salad this time but encourage anyone 

willing to grow and experiment in the kitchen to order the book.

This recipe requires that you salt and season the bird days in advance,
no additional fat is added, the succulent fat from the skin will be enough.
The recipe in the book is three pages long and can be a little intimidating.
I have edited this down tremendously by skipping the bread salad and instead
serving my chicken with fresh roasted vegetables, whatever is in season.

Ingredients:

1 small chicken (I used farm raised and organic)
4 sprigs of thyme
3 sprigs of rosemary
Minced garlic
Salt
Pepper

Step 1
Remove the inside of the chicken and discard,
wash chicken and pat dry.
The chicken must be dry, this is very important.
Use the tip of your finger to loosen skin from the thick part of the thigh,
place sprigs on thyme and rosemary into the pocket (for each side).
Season the chicken.
A wet chicken won't sizzle and give you the crispy skin results.
Season chicken liberally with salt and pepper.
Be generous with the salt on the thicker areas (breast) and less liberal
on the thin parts (ankles).
Sprinkle a little salt inside the chicken, rub minced garlic on
the bird and cover loosely with plastic, I let mine sit in the fridge for
two days.

Step 2
Roast the chicken.
Prepare your pan and preheat oven to 475º.
Choose a dish/roasting pan barely larger than your chicken and ensure the pan is
completely dry so your chicken won't stick to it.
Place the empty pan in the oven for 10 minutes,
pat your chicken dry.
Remove pan from oven and add your (breast side up) chicken, it will sizzle!
Place the chicken in the oven (center of your rack) and roast for 50-55 minutes,
listen for the sizzling sound after twenty minutes and watch the skin start to
brown.

Step 3
Remove chicken from oven, carefully remove the chicken from the pan and
place on a large plate and let it rest.
Add fresh carrots, purple potatoes, onions, mushrooms or any fresh
vegetables of your choice to the pan with fat in it and return to oven for 15 minutes.

Step 4
Serve the chicken!
Remove vegetables from oven, cut the chicken and serve
on the bed of fresh roasted vegetables.
Drizzle the chicken with the juices/fat left in the pan, this is super flavorful.
ENJOY!