The Bear is consistently the most true to life representation of the service industry on TV. They nail the fast paced nature of it so well, even if things are slightly dramatized. To me, it’s obvious that the team behind the show knew what they were doing. To support this, the food they show off is not only amazing looking, it’s also pretty well thought out and involves a lot of onscreen talent knowing how to cook. How does it taste though? Here's how to make the half roast chicken and peppers from the show. We hear them talk about this recipe a lot in the first season, but we don't see it outright. Because of that, I had to take some guesses on the recipe!
Chicken And Peppers
Whole chicken (spatchcocked and split in half)
Parsley
Kosher Salt
Sugar
Butter
1 bell pepper
1/2 yellow onion
Lemon juice
Step 1: Butcher Chicken
Place your whole chicken breast side down with the back end facing you. You have to start by removing the backbone, which can easily be done with kitchen shears. Make snips close to the back You can clean up the cavity a little if there are any scraps left and then make a hard cut directly in the middle of the breast plate. You need to cut hard enough to split through the breast plate bone. From there you can remove the ribs and extra bones on the inside for an easier eating time, or you can cut them off at the end before serving. It's easier to do this now rather than after the meat is cooked. Place this on a tray with a bunch of parsley and hit it with a hefty amount of salt on both sides (use more than you think). Sprinkle a small amount of sugar on the meat side This can go in the fridge for at least a day, two days is great though. The skin will dry out and the meat will absorb the salt evenly.
Step 2: Prep Peppers
The peppers are going to be sauteed with some sliced onion for a bit of sweetness. Slice the bell pepper and onion into large pieces. If they're too thin, they will overcook and turn mushy. Yellow onion is great for this.
Step 3: Roast Chicken And Cook Peppers
Heat a cast iron pan over medium for 5 minutes and then add in a small amount of olive oil. Place your chicken skin side down and weigh it down with another pan, a lid, or a large can. Leave this for around 25 minutes and let it cook until the skin is super crisp. After it's nicely browned, flip the chicken and cook it for another 25 minutes. During this phase, baste the chicken with butter so it cooks slightly faster. At this point, the breast meat should be perfect, but the dark meat may need a little more time. If that's the case, remove the dark meat from the breast meat, and place it on a rack under a low broiler for 5-10 minutes. This allows the dark meat to cook further without overcooking the white meat. Remove the chicken from the pan, and let it rest while you cook the peppers.
Leave the oil in there and toss in the veg. Hit this with a large pinch of salt and let these get nice and browned, softened, and luscious. The final seasoning needed is a huge squeeze of lemon juice. The chicken should be totally rested at this point, so you're ready to serve. In the show, we see both pieces of meat on the plate, so be ready to split this with someone. The meat is super seasoned from the long dry brine in the fridge. The skin should be crispy and fatty in a really pleasant way, and the peppers help bring some sweetness to the plate. It's a really tasty roast chicken.
Cheers!
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