Oven Roasted Chicken With Bread Salad

Tasty comfort food from "the Floataway Cafe" in Atlanta.

• Ready In: 9 hrs 50 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• Oven Roasted Chicken

• 2 (3 lb)  organic free range whole chickens
• 1  cup kosher salt
• 1  gallon cold water

• Bread Salad

• 1⁄2 lb arugula
• 4  cups  sourdough bread cubes (1/2 inch cubes)
• 1⁄2 cup dried currant, plumped in warm water & splash red wine vinegar
• 1⁄2 cup  toasted pine nuts
• 1⁄2 cup champagne vinegar
• 1  cup  reduced  chicken stock
• 1  cup olive oil
• 10  garlic cloves, sliced, sauteed in small amount of olive oil
• 1⁄4 cup chives or 1⁄4 cup spring onion, chopped
• 1  teaspoon salt (to taste)
• 1  teaspoon pepper (to taste)

Directions

1. Oven Roasted Chicken:
2. Dissolve the salt in cold water and place rinsed chickens in water. Let chicken brine in salt water for 6 to 8 hours in refrigerator. Remove, rinse & dry. Season with pepper, rub with olive oil & stuff under the skin with fresh sage leaves. Roast in wood burning oven 450-500 degrees for 30-45 minutes. Remove chicken from oven and let stand for 10 minutes.
3. Bread Salad:
4. Toast bread lightly. Make vinaigrette - in large bowl mix vinegar, chicken stock, garlic & chives. Whisk in olive oil and season with salt & pepper. Toss with toasted bread, currants & pine nuts. Cover with foil & bake in 400 degree oven until lightly brown about 20 minutes. To serve toss warm bread salad with arugula , chives or spring onions and serve with chicken.
5. Chicken Jus:
6. Heat stock in sauce pan and slowly swirl in butter until incorporated over very low heat. Season & serve over chicken and bread salad.