Roast Chicken in the Style of Porchetta with Roast Lemon, Fennel and Potatoes
“In the style of porchetta” means to prepare like porchetta—a pork loin wrapped in pork belly with rosemary. Here, I finely chop or process pork and combine it with garlic, rosemary and lemon zest which add a layer of flavor between the skin and meat of a whole chicken. I have my butcher spatchcock my chickens (remove the back bone). Roasting a chicken that is butterflied cuts down on roasting time and in easier to carve.
- 1/2 pound prosciutto cotto (cooked ham), coarsely chopped
- 1/3 pound pancetta, thinly sliced and coarsely chopped
- 3 to 4 tablespoons fresh rosemary, coarsely chopped plus a few sprigs for roasting
- 4 large cloves garlic, grated and finely chopped or very thinly sliced
- 2 teaspoons fennel seed or 1 teaspoon seed and 1 teaspoon pollen
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 4- to 5-pound chicken, butterflied/back bone removed
- Olive oil, for liberal drizzling
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 3 lemons, halved
- 1 bulbs fennel, cut into 1 1/2-inch wedges
- 1 medium onions, cut into wedges
- 4 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into wedges
- 1/2 cup dry white wine or chicken stock or combination of both