Cast-Iron Chicken with Lentils

Taxes. No body likes them. Every body hates them. Guess I'll go eat worms? Remember singing that as a kid? No? Just me? Okay then. Well every year, tax time comes and goes, and like a good American I fill mine out as soon as I get my W-2, in hopes that I will get some money back. This year after completing the endless questionnaire of my life, they asked you if you wanted some free magazine subscriptions for using their specific online company. Like I am going to say no to free magazines!! Me loving magazines is an understatement. Sure the internet is cool and all, but I like flipping through the pages, folding down the corner of things that I like, and being able to physically hold while cozied up on the couch. One of the magazines I signed up for was Food & Wine. And in my first issue was this dreamy looking cast-iron chicken recipe. I did my best to replicate it, only changing a thing or two. This made a great dinner for us one night and again for lunch the next day. But this would be a great pleaser for a double-date night in, simple and classic, but with a twist. 

Cast-Iron Chicken with Lentils

Ingredients:

• 1 4-lb. whole chicken, backbone removed and breasts separated from thighs
• 2 tbsp. olive oil, separated
• 1 shallot, thinly sliced
• 1 cup lentils
• 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/3 cup chopped walnuts
• 4 tbsp. butter
• 1 tbsp. dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup walnut oil
• 2 tbsp. sherry vinegar
• 1 tbsp. freshly chopped parsley

In a medium pot, heat 1 tbsp. of the oil over medium-high heat and add in the shallots. Season with salt and pepper and cook until softened and just golden brown, about 3 minutes. Add in the lentils, vinegar, water, and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for 15 minutes. Uncover, stirring occasionally, and cooking until the liquid has been absorbed into the lentils, and they are tender; another 15 minutes or so. Remove from the heat, stir in 3 tbsp. of the butter, walnuts, mustard, season with salt and pepper, and keep warm.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Heat the other tbsp. of oil over medium-high heat in a large cast-iron or oven-proof skillet. Once the oil is hot, season the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper and place, skin-side down in the skillet. Cover with tin foil and then set another heavy skillet on top. I placed a dinner plate on top and then a pot of water for weight. Cook until the chicken is crispy and golden on one side, about 10 minutes.

Remove the top weight and the tin foil, flip the chicken over and place into the oven and bake for about 30 minutes, until a thermometer placed into the breast tests at 165 degrees F. Remove from the oven and let the meat rest for 5-10 minutes until serving.

While the chicken is cooking, whisk together the walnut oil, sherry vinegar, and parsley. Set aside.

While the chicken is resting, heat the juices from the cast-iron over medium heat with the remaining tbsp. of butter, salt, and pepper.

Serve the chicken over the warm lentils. Drizzle the vinegar dressing over the top, and serve the chicken jus gravy on the side.