Brick Oven Roasted Chicken Recipe

Preheat and Prep

Preheat a brick oven or regular oven to 450°F (230°C). Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels. In a small bowl combine 2 tbs olive oil, 1 tbs melted butter, minced garlic, chopped rosemary, chopped thyme, lemon zest, kosher salt, and black pepper to make a herb rub.

Season

Rub the herb mixture evenly over and under the skin of each chicken breast, pressing it to adhere. Let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes while you prepare other components (or refrigerate up to 2 hours).

Roast

Place the chicken breasts skin-side up on a rimmed baking tray or in a shallow roasting pan. Roast at 450°F (230°C) for 20–30 minutes, or until the internal temperature at the thickest part reaches 160–165°F (71–74°C) and the skin is golden and crisp. If using a very hot brick oven the time will be closer to 18–22 minutes; watch closely.

Rest and Deglaze

Transfer chicken to a cutting board and tent loosely with foil to rest for 8–10 minutes (temperature will rise a few degrees). While the chicken rests, place the roasting pan over medium heat on the stovetop (or use a skillet) and add 3 tbs Marsala to deglaze, scraping up browned bits to start the jus (proceed to Marsala Jus section to finish sauce).

Finish

Slice the rested chicken breast crosswise or serve whole on top of risotto. Spoon finished Marsala jus over chicken just before serving.

Prepare Stock and Mushrooms

Warm 3 cups of chicken stock in a saucepan and keep at a gentle simmer. Clean and slice mushrooms. In a large skillet, heat 1 tbs olive oil and 1 tbs butter over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and a pinch of salt; sauté until they release moisture and start to brown, about 5–7 minutes. Remove half the mushrooms for garnish and set aside.

Sweat Shallot and Toast Rice

Reduce heat to medium, add the minced shallot to the skillet with remaining mushrooms and sauté until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add 1 clove minced garlic and cook 30 seconds. Stir in 1 cup arborio rice and toast for 1–2 minutes until the rice edges look translucent.

Deglaze and Simmer

Pour in 1 tbs dry white wine and stir until mostly absorbed. Begin adding warm stock, one ladle (about 1/2 cup) at a time, stirring frequently. Wait until most of the liquid is absorbed before adding the next ladle. Continue this process for 18–22 minutes, until rice is tender but still slightly al dente and the mixture is creamy.

Finish Risotto

When the rice is nearly done, stir in the reserved sautéed mushrooms, 2 tbs butter, 2 tbs heavy cream, and 1 tbs grated Parmesan. Season with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Remove from heat and fold in chopped parsley. Adjust seasoning. Keep warm until plating.

Blanch and Sauté

Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add baby carrots and cook 3–4 minutes until just tender. Add haricots verts for the last 1 minute. Immediately transfer vegetables to an ice bath to stop cooking and preserve color. Drain and pat dry. In a skillet over medium heat, warm 1 tsp olive oil and 1 tsp butter. Add drained vegetables and zucchini batons and sauté 2–3 minutes until heated through and lightly glazed. Season with 1/4 tsp salt and a pinch of black pepper.

Cook Shallot and Reduce

In a small saucepan or skillet over medium heat, warm 1 tsp olive oil and 1 tbs butter. Add 1 minced shallot and sauté until softened but not browned, about 2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup dry Marsala wine and increase heat to medium-high; reduce by about half, scraping up any browned bits from the roasting pan if you deglazed earlier.

Finish Sauce

Add 1/2 cup warm low-sodium chicken stock and simmer until sauce thickens slightly, about 3–5 minutes. If desired, whisk in 1 tsp heavy cream for sheen. Lower heat and swirl in 1 tbs cold cubed butter until emulsified and glossy. Season to taste with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp black pepper. Strain if you want a smoother jus, or leave as-is for a more rustic finish.