BUCCATINI WITH CHICKEN CONFIT

BUCCATINI WITH CHICKEN CONFIT

INGREDIENTS

For the Chicken Confit:

One 3-pound chicken, quartered

2 tablespoons kosher salt

½ tablespoon thyme leaves

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4 cups duck fat, melted

For the Bucatini:

Kosher salt, to taste

1 pound dried bucatini

¼ cup olive oil, plus more for garnish

8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

2 medium shallots, thinly sliced

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 cup white wine

1½ cups chicken stock

1½ cups grated Pecorino Romano cheese, plus more for garnish

¼ cup basil leaves, thinly sliced

1. Make the chicken confit: On a parchment-lined baking sheet, toss the chicken with the salt, thyme and pepper to coat. Refrigerate, uncovered, overnight to cure.

2. The next day, preheat the oven to 300°. Rinse the chicken and dry well with paper towels. Then place it in a 4-quart Dutch oven. Cover the chicken with the duck fat and place the lid on the pot. Cook in the oven until extremely tender, 2½ hours.

3. Remove the chicken from the fat, reserving the fat for another use, and shred the meat, discarding the skin and bones.

4. Make the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until very al dente, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the pasta, reserving ¼ cup of pasta water.

5. In a large skillet, combine the oil, garlic and shallots over medium heat. Cook until the garlic and shallots begin to sizzle and soften, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.

6. Add the wine and simmer until reduced by half, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the chicken stock, cheese, basil, cooked pasta, reserved pasta water and reserved chicken confit. Simmer until the pasta is tender and the sauce has slightly thickened, 1 to 2 minutes more.

7. Divide the pasta between plates and garnish with a drizzle of olive oil and more grated cheese, then serve.