Chef Jakub Czyszczon shares his new take on the classic roast chicken, with the addition of tangy seared cabbage and a spicy salsa verde.
Jakub Czyszczon
Brine and Prep the Chicken:
In a large piece of cheesecloth, combine lemons, garlic, thyme, and peppercorns. Tie to enclose ingredients in a sachet. Add 1 gallon water to a large Stock Pot. Add sachet. Cover, bring to a boil over high heat, and add salt. Stir until salt is dissolved, then remove from heat to let cool. Remove sachet and chill brine until cold (1–2 hours).
Use a Paring Knife to remove the wishbone from the chicken. Truss chicken using butcher’s twine following these instructions.
Place chicken in another large Stock Pot, brining bag, or other food safe container and add brine to completely submerge. You may not need all the brine—it’s worth saving the rest for wings or pork. Place a plate on top of chicken if needed to keep chicken submerged. Brine in fridge at least 6 hours and up to overnight.
Sear the Cabbage:
Using a Chef Knife, cut the cabbage into small manageable wedges (about 1-1 ½” inches thick) and set aside. On the stovetop, heat Roasting Pan over high until very hot. Add grapeseed oil and sear cabbage until charred on both sides, 5–10 minutes per side. Season generously with salt. Set aside.
Roast the Chicken:
Preheat oven to 400F.
Remove chicken from brine and pat the skin very dry. Let come to room temperature. Drizzle evenly with oil, and season generously with salt.
Nestle chicken into the cabbage in Roasting Pan. Roast chicken, rotating halfway through, until skin is golden brown and chicken is cooked through to an interior temperature of 165F, 50–60 minutes. Allow chicken to rest 25–30 minutes.
Make the Salsa Verde:
Place chopped cilantro, parsley, capers, and oregano in a medium bowl. Deseed, de-rib, and finely dice jalapeno and add to the bowl. Add lemon juice and vinegar and mix to combine. Season with salt. Add oil, taste, and adjust seasoning. Makes about 2 cups (feel free to halve the recipe if you’d like less salsa verde).
Final Assembly:
Carve the chicken by first removing the legs and separating the thigh from the drumstick. Then remove the breasts from the breast bone. Place cabbage on Serving Platter, top with salsa verde. Arrange chicken on top of cabbage and spoon salsa verde over top.