Tahini Buttermilk Roast Chicken

Yield: 4-6 servings

Ingredients:

1 chicken, spatch cocked, backbone removed and split open but whole

2 bay leaves, fresh

Marinade:

2 Tablespoons Tahini

2 cloves, garlic

3 Tablespoons lemon juice, fresh

1 cup Buttermilk

2 teaspoons oregano, Greek

1 Tablespoon honey, local

1 teaspoon salt, Kosher

Fresh ground black pepper

Pan Juices:

1/2 cup Sherry, Fino

2 cups chicken broth, homemade, preferably

Garnish:

Honey

Toasted sesame seeds

Cilantro

Lemon wedges

Method:

1. Combine the ingredients for the marinade in a blender and pulse until the garlic is pureed with all the other ingredients.

2. Add the fresh bay leaves and the whole chicken to the marinade and refrigerate for 2-12 hours.

3. Preheat the oven to 375ºF convection or 400ºF Bake. Place the chicken breast side up in  a roasting pan on a rack for about 45 minutes until the internal temperature reached 160ºF and the internal juices run clear.

4. Remove the chicken from the oven and allow to sit for 20 minutes so the juices redistribute into the meat of the chicken.

5. Place the chicken on a cutting board and cut in half and then separate the breast from the thigh and leg.

6. Make a pan gravy by, pouring off the excess fat and  deglazing the roasting pan with 1 cup of white wine and 2 cups chicken broth. Reduce by half and strain. 

7. Garnish the chicken with a drizzle of honey, pan juices and toasted sesame seeds, chopped cilantro and fresh lemon wedges.