Recipe: Make chef Reilly Meehan’s roast chicken with onion chutney

In his debut cookbook, “A Little Bit Extra: 100 Recipes That Serve Up Something Special,” Phoenix chef Reilly Meehan does something that not all authors are willing to do. He names his favorite recipe. And, he’s sharing it with Phoenix New Times readers ahead of the cookbook’s debut on March 31. 

During busy weeknights, the Meehan family’s go-to dinner was rotisserie chicken served with vegetables and a baguette. He’s taken that childhood staple and added a bright chutney to serve alongside it.

“Roasted chicken is everybody’s go-to. It’s comforting, it’s cozy, it’s relatively easy, but I think there’s something fun about taking that and making it a little more cheffy,” Meehan says. “That’s the crux of the book is this classic recipe but done a little bit extra with this little twist.”

Roasted Chicken with ‘Under the Chicken’ Onion Chutney 

• 1 large lemon, sliced into ¼-inch-thick rounds and seeded
• 1 small sweet onion, sliced into ¼-inch-thick rings
• 1 bunch scallions, white and green parts separated
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled
• ½ cup olive oil, plus more as needed
• 1 (4½-pound) whole chicken
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed
• Kosher salt to taste

Preheat the oven to 415°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper.

Arrange the lemon, onion, scallion whites and garlic evenly on the baking sheet and drizzle them with ¼ cup of the olive oil. Spatchcock the chicken by removing the spine, then pat the chicken dry with a paper towel. Place the chicken on top of the lemon and onion, then drizzle with the remaining ¼ cup of oil and rub it all over the chicken. Evenly sprinkle the chicken with the garlic powder, thyme, pepper and a generous amount of salt (at least 1 tablespoon).

Roast for 40 to 50 minutes (see Note), until the chicken reaches 165°F (use an oven-safe probe thermometer inserted into the breast), the skin is a deep, rich golden brown and perfectly crisp, and the lemon-onion mix is soft and caramelized (even borderline charred in some parts, that’s okay!). Remove from the oven and let stand for 10 minutes, undisturbed.

Meanwhile, thinly slice the scallion greens and place them in a small bowl. Cover with a damp paper towel or plastic wrap.

Transfer the roasted chicken to a clean baking sheet or a large plate. Scoop the onion-lemon mixture onto a cutting board and finely chop it—think the consistency of a chunky tapenade. Add the lemon-onion mixture to the bowl with the scallion greens, then add all the chicken drippings and fat from the baking sheet and mix well. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. You may also want to add a touch more olive oil to give it a saucier consistency.

Carve the chicken however you please and serve with the onion chutney alongside.

Note: Cooking times and oven temperatures vary, so adjust the oven temperature or rack position as you roast. Start checking the chicken and veggies after about 25 minutes.