Pan-Roasted Chicken with Warm Farro Salad

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Food & Wine’s Kay Chun makes a super-fall-friendly side of nutty farro with roasted carrots and mushrooms, which she flavors with lemon juice and hazelnuts.Slideshow: Farro Salads

Pan Roasted Chicken with Warm Farro Salad
Photo: © David Malosh
Active Time:
30 mins
Total Time:
1 hr 15 mins
Yield:
4

Ingredients

  • One 4-pound whole chicken, backbone removed and chicken cut in half

  • 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

  • Kosher salt and pepper

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • 3 sage sprigs

  • 1/2 pound small (not baby) carrots

  • 1 pound mixed mushrooms, chopped, any tough stems discarded

  • 1 1/2 cups farro

  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, plus wedges for serving

  • 1/2 cup chopped toasted hazelnuts

  • Chopped parsley, for garnish

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 450°. Set racks in the middle and lower thirds of the oven. Rub the chicken all over with2 tablespoons of the olive oil and season with salt andpepper. In a large cast-iron skillet, melt the butter. Addthe sage sprigs, then add the chicken, skin side down, and cook over moderately high heat until golden, about 5 minutes. Turn the chicken over and roast in the middle of the oven for about 40 minutes, basting occasionally, until cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes. Reserve the pan juices but discard the sage.

  2. While the chicken is cooking, on a rimmed baking sheet,toss the carrots and mushrooms with the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Roast the vegetables on the lower rack of the oven until golden and tender, about 20 minutes. Let cool slightly, then slice the carrots. Transfer the carrots andmushrooms to a large bowl.

  3. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan of salted boiling water, cook the farro until al dente, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain well. Add the farro to the vegetables along with the lemon juice,half of the hazelnuts and 1/2 cup of the reserved chicken pan juices; mix well. Transfer to plates, top with the remaining hazelnuts and garnish with parsley. Carve the chicken and serve it with the farro and lemon wedges.

Make Ahead

The farro can be refrigerated for 2 days and rewarmed before using.

Suggested Pairing

2014 Taken Complicated Sonoma County Pinot Noir ($18).

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