Roast Chicken with Pancetta and Olives

Two recipes in a row; what's happening?! Well, I just had to share this one with you, because if you're a fowl eater, you'll want to make it ASAP. This is a delicious recipe that I got from the January issue of Gourmet magazine (thanks, Amy!).

I wanted to make something from Gourmet as a tribute, since the magazine is now kaput. Can you believe that? My feeling is that Condé Nast made a bad mistake in shutting Gourmet down after 68 years. To my mind, it was really the American food magazine. Damn.

At least we still have recipes from old issues. This is an easy dish to make, though it roasts awhile in the oven (but not all that long). The skin on the chicken becomes wonderfully crispy, and the flavors of the wine, olives, herbs, and pancetta are incredible. We ate the chicken with buttery, parslied rice and Swiss chard sautéed in olive oil and dressed with a little fresh lemon juice. And luckily, the thyme and rosemary are hanging on in their big pots on the back patio, so I had the fresh herbs right on my doorstep.

Roast Chicken with Pancetta and Olives
From Gourmet magazine, January 2009 issue

The recipe in the magazine has you cutting up 2 whole chickens into 12 serving pieces; I used two packages of Triple S Farm chicken thighs (bone in and skin on) instead—10 thighs total. You could roast any chicken parts you wanted to, but if you use breasts, cut each breast half into 3 pieces, and if you do a whole chicken, don't use the wings or back, and separate drumsticks and thighs. As noted in the recipe, the backbones can be used to make stock.

2 chickens (about 3 1/2 lbs. each), backbones cut out and each chicken cut into 12 pieces, as noted above; or, for a smaller meal, use about 3 pounds of chicken thighs
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped thyme
1 tablespoon chopped rosemary
1 tablespoon fine sea salt
1/2 to 1 teaspoon hot red-pepper flakes
10 garlic cloves, peeled
2 1/4-inch-thick slices pancetta, cut into 1-inch pieces (I used Triple S Farm cured jowl)
1 cup dry white wine (I used Pinot Grigio)
24 oil-cured black olives

Preheat oven to 450 °F with rack in middle.

Toss chicken with oil, thyme, rosemary, sea salt, red-pepper flakes, and 1 teaspoon black pepper, rubbing mixture into chicken (I did this right in the roasting pan).

Arrange chicken, skin side up, in one layer in a 17-by-11-inch 4-sided sheet pan (I used a 9 x 13 roasting pan for my smaller quantity of chicken). Scatter garlic and pancetta on top and roast until chicken begins to brown, about 20 minutes. Drizzle wine over chicken and roast 8 minutes more. Scatter olives over chicken and roast until the skin is golden and chicken is cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes more. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
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In the magazine, they suggested serving the chicken with cheesy polenta and broccoli rabe with Italian sausage; what a great meal that would be. But we quite enjoyed the chicken with our simple rice and greens.

Here's the January issue of Gourmet, all wrinkled from somehow getting completely soaked while I was cooking. But I think it's a good look; the best, in fact. Each issue should be well-used. If no one comes to their senses and reverses the decision to shut you down, I guess I'll have to say so long, Gourmet.