Mixing dried porcini with tomato paste is a simple way to omit butter and still keep chicken moist while infusing it with a woodsy mushroom flavor.
Halved chicken can be roasted, skin side up, in a foil-lined shallow baking pan in upper third of a 475°F oven 30 minutes, then broiled 4 to 6 inches from heat until skin is crisp.
Recipe information
Total Time
45 min
Yield
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Grind porcini to a powder in an electric coffee/spice grinder or blender. Cook garlic in oil in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tomato paste and porcini powder and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Tilting skillet, press paste with back of a spoon to separate from oil, then pour off oil from skillet into a small cup and reserve. Transfer paste to a plate and cool slightly, about 5 minutes.
Step 2
Prepare a gas grill for indirect-heat cooking over moderate heat.
Step 3
Pat chicken dry and remove excess fat. Working from backbone side of a half chicken, loosen skin over breast and drumstick to form a large pocket, then smear half of paste over meat. Repeat with remaining chicken half and paste. Rub reserved oil all over chicken and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Step 4
Grill chicken, skin side up, over turned-off burner, covered, without turning, 20 minutes. Turn chicken over and grill, covered, until skin is crisp and meat is cooked through, 5 to 10 minutes more.
