Chicken Canzanese
- Total Time
- 1 hour 45 minutes
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
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Ingredients
- 13-pound chicken, cut into serving pieces
- Salt
- 2sage leaves
- 2bay leaves
- 1clove garlic, sliced lengthwise
- 6cloves
- 2sprigs rosemary
- 2peppercorns, crushed
- 1dried red chili, broken and seeded (optional)
- 1thick slice prosciutto (about ¼ pound)
- ½cup dry white wine
Preparation
- Step 1
Place the chicken pieces in a mixing bowl; cover with cold water and add 1 tablespoon salt. Let stand 1 hour. Drain and pat dry.
- Step 2
Arrange the chicken pieces in one layer in a frying pan fitted with a lid and add the sage, bay leaves, garlic, cloves, rosemary, peppercorns and, if using red chili. Cut the prosciutto into small cubes and sprinkle it over the chicken. Add the wine and ¼ cup water. Do not add salt, since the prosciutto will season the dish. Cover and simmer until the chicken is nearly done. 30 to 40 minutes. Uncover and cook briefly over high heat until the sauce is reduced slightly.
Private Notes
Cooking Notes
It's just a short brine, Richard. It helps keep the bird moist through the cooking process.
Should t the chicken be browned first?
America’s Test Kitchen recipe is much better. Of course, you shou brown the chicken first and get a fond.
This may be a dumb question, but does anyone ever see 3 pound chickens anymore (at least in the US)? Seems like every bird I see is 4½ or more
We did this with two spatchcocked game hens and loved it. I believe the brine is very useful and after one gets over the culture shock of not crispy poultry skin it is a winner. In the absence of thick prosciutto I used a thick slice of smoked ham.
This may be a dumb question, but does anyone ever see 3 pound chickens anymore (at least in the US)? Seems like every bird I see is 4½ or more
Favorite
This (almost) exact recipe is available on the Epicurious website with attribution to Amanda Hesser and the NYT Cookbook. The only difference is that recipe specifies twelve peppercorns instead of the two called for here. The reviews are great. Can it really make no difference, 12 or 2 peppercorns?
Isn’t this Ed Giobbi’s recipe from 1969 in an article by Craig Claiborne!? Love it. Gb
America’s Test Kitchen recipe is much better. Of course, you shou brown the chicken first and get a fond.
If I have time, I always brine chicken.
Re the "short brine," why not dissolve the salt in the water first (as usual with most brines)?
Should t the chicken be browned first?
No browning. I've been making this (an old recipe) for years. The salt soak is very important to keep meat moist. Easy supper, I serve with mashed potatoes and either peas or asparagus (roasted)
This looks wonderful except for one thing. The skin has got to be limp and rubbery and unappetizing. Much as I hesitate to add an extra step, what if you browned the skin before putting it for the braise? I realize that the skin would still soften up, but at least you'd give it a fighting chance.
Cooking meat without browning (a blanc or a bianco, to lend a European legitimacy) produces a different result but can be every bit as good as browned meat. The skin won't be rubbery, and it adds flavor to the braise. Some people won't want to eat the skin, and you could remove it before cooking, though it's easier to do afterward. I remove the breast at about 40 minutes and braise the legs a little longer for more flavor.
Why the water soak?
It's just a short brine, Richard. It helps keep the bird moist through the cooking process.
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