Chef/co-owner Jason Timothy, Troop and Laughing Gorilla Catering, Providence
I like chicken, I like beer… let’s dance!
Ingredients
- 1 (3½- to 4-pound) whole Baffoni Poultry Farm chicken
- Kosher or sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- ½ (16-ounce) can Revival Night Swim’ah Belgian Wheat Ale
- 6 cloves garlic, peeled and quartered
- 3–4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 6 whole black peppercorns
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 6 cups arugula (or your favorite salad greens), washed and dried
- 6 ripe peaches (or your favorite stone fruit), pitted and sliced into wedges
- 2 small red onions, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 small block manchego cheese
Preparation
Preheat oven to 400°F. (Or prepare coals if you prefer to grill the chicken.) Be sure to remove any extra oven racks to provide enough height for the chicken.
Pat chicken dry and season liberally with salt and pepper on the outside and inside of the bird and let rest for an hour at room temperature.
Drink half the Night Swim’ah, then add the garlic, 2 sprigs thyme and peppercorns to the remaining beer in the can. Place the chicken onto the beer can, fitting the can securely into the chicken cavity. (The chicken should be secure, resting vertically on the standing beer can.) Rub skin with olive oil and place chicken in the center of a baking tray or roasting pan to catch the juices.
Roast the chicken for 15 minutes at 400°F, then reduce oven temperature to 375°F and roast approximately 45 minutes, until the skin is nicely browned and the internal temperature reaches 155°F. (Test by inserting an instant-read thermometer between the leg and breast.) The resting process will bring the bird to the proper temperature of 165°F. Let chicken rest while you prep the salad. When cool enough to handle, carefully slide the chicken off the beer can and onto a cutting board.
In a small mixing bowl, add vinegar and slowly whisk in the oil. Add leaves from remaining thyme sprigs and season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
In another large mixing bowl, add greens, sliced fruit and onion. Peel thin shavings of cheese with a peeler and toss everything with the vinaigrette.
Cut the chicken into 6 or 8 pieces and place on the salad. Crack open another beer or enjoy some wine, and you’re ready to enjoy the night! Cheers!
About this recipe
WINE PAIRING: Essentially Geared Rosé If you are going to get unconventionally delicious with your chicken, why not do the same with your wine? This is a rosé of 100% Pinot Noir ... in a can! It’s light bodied, with aromas of fresh strawberry and cantaloupe. The soft mouthfeel is followed by notes of fresh sliced strawberries and apricots with a zing of lemony acidity to the finish—a perfect accompaniment to Chef JT’s chicken. Serve to your troop chilled in the can or in a glass.
—Marc Berry, Grapes & Grains Fine Wine, Spirits and Craft Beers, Barrington
