Dinner: Firehouse Chicken

Two chicken halves won't fit in a standard 10-inch cast-iron, so this recipe calls for both a pan and a baking sheet. If you have a 14-inch pan, you can go straight from stovetop to oven.

Ingredients

4 garlic cloves, chopped
2 cups distilled white vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup kosher salt
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
1 cup vegetable oil, divided
1 (3 1/2 –4 pound) chicken, halved

Instructions

Purée garlic, vinegar, olive oil, salt, parsley, paprika, pepper, and 1/2 cup vegetable oil in a blender until smooth. Place chicken in a large resealable plastic bag and pour marinade over. Seal bag and chill chicken 1 –3 days.
Remove chicken from marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Let sit uncovered at room temperature 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 400 °F. Heat remaining 1/2 cup vegetable oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Place 1 chicken half, skin side down, in skillet, set another skillet or heavy pot on top, and add a couple of cans to weigh it down. Cook until skin is browned and crisp, 15 –20 minutes. Transfer chicken to a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet. Repeat with remaining chicken half.
Roast chicken in oven, skin side up, until cooked through and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of thigh registers 165 °F, 20 –25 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest 15 minutes before slicing.

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