CrustyCrab
Recipes

ItalianBone-in, skin-on split chicken breasts

Spiced Roast Chicken over Lemon-Garlic Parmesan Risotto

Dry-brined, spice-rubbed chicken breasts seared in cast iron and roasted, sliced over creamy lemon-garlic risotto with a white wine pan jus.

Calories
930kcal
Protein
67g
Carbs
78g
Fat
38g
Total, 45 min active
1 hr 15 min, plus dry-brining
Servings
4

Nutrition is per serving.

Ingredients

Spice rub

  • 2 tsp paprika, smoked or sweet
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • ¼–½ tsp cayenne

Chicken

  • 4 bone-in, skin-on split chicken breasts (10–12 oz each)
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • About 2 tsp kosher salt, for dry-brining

Risotto

  • 5–6 cups chicken stock, kept warm
  • 2 tbsp butter plus 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large shallot, minced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1½ cups arborio rice, not rinsed
  • ½ cup dry white wine
  • 1 lemon, zested and juiced
  • ¾ cup grated Parmesan
  • 2 tbsp cold butter, to finish

Pan jus

  • 1 shallot, minced
  • ½ cup dry white wine
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 sprig thyme
  • 1 tbsp cold butter
  • A squeeze of lemon and chopped parsley

Steps

  1. Dry-brine. Pat the breasts bone-dry and salt them all over, about ½ tsp each. Rest uncovered on a rack in the fridge, 30 minutes minimum and overnight for the best result.
  2. Rub. Heat the oven to 425°F. Coat the chicken with the olive oil, then the spice rub, working some under the skin.
  3. Sear. In an oven-safe cast iron skillet over medium-high, lay the chicken skin-side down. Sear undisturbed 6–8 minutes, until deep golden and it releases on its own.
  4. Roast. Flip skin-side up and move the skillet to the oven. Roast 15–20 minutes, to 160°F at the thickest part. Rest 5–10 minutes; carryover takes it to 165°F.
  5. Start the risotto. While the chicken roasts, keep the stock at a bare simmer. Sweat the shallot and garlic in the butter and oil over medium-low without browning.
  6. Toast the rice. Add the rice and stir 3–4 minutes, until the edges of the grains turn translucent.
  7. Build the risotto. Add the wine and lemon juice and stir until absorbed. Add the warm stock a ladle at a time, stirring often and letting each addition absorb before the next, 20–25 minutes, until tender with a little bite.
  8. Make the jus. Pour excess fat from the chicken skillet, keeping the browned bits. Soften the shallot 1 minute, deglaze with the wine, scrape up the fond and reduce by half. Add the broth and thyme and simmer about 5 minutes, until lightly syrupy. Off the heat, swirl in the butter and a squeeze of lemon, then stir in parsley.
  9. Finish the risotto. Off the heat, beat in the cold butter, Parmesan and lemon zest. Loosen with a splash of stock so it spreads rather than clumps. Season.
  10. Serve. Slice the chicken over the risotto, spoon over the jus and finish with more Parmesan.

Notes

  • Pull at 160°F: use a thermometer, not a timer; this is what keeps breast meat from drying out.
  • Don’t rinse the rice: the surface starch is what makes risotto creamy. Browned garlic means the heat is too high.
  • Order of work: dry-brine, warm the stock and prep the aromatics, sear and roast the chicken, start the risotto while it roasts, rest the chicken, make the jus in the chicken pan, then finish the risotto off the heat.