Roast Chicken Recipe

Position oven rack in the lower half and preheat to 400 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking pan with foil. Divide prunes in half between a small and a large bowl. In the small bowl, pour 1/2 cup hot water over prunes and let stand until soft, 5 minutes, then drain. Mix thyme and garlic into drained prunes. In the large bowl, pour vinegar and 1 Tbsp water over the prunes. Set aside.

Arrange onions in the center of lined pan, put chicken on top of onions. Season chicken cavity and skin with salt and pepper. Loosen the skin on the breast, slide the thyme-prune mix under the skin as best as possible, putting any remaining prune mix in the cavity. Tuck wing tips behind the back to secure them, then lightly coat breast and legs with 1 Tbsp oil. Insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh, away from the bone. Put chicken in oven to roast, rotating pan halfway through cooking process. Remove when the thermometer reads 165 degrees F, 1-1 1/4 hours.

While chicken roasts, toast bread. Scatter bread cubes on a rimmed baking sheet, mix with 1 Tbsp oil. Toast until lightly browned on the edges, 10 minutes. Set aside.

Transfer chicken to a carving board, let rest for 10-20 minutes. Transfer onions and roasting juices from the chicken to large bowl with the vinegar-soaked prunes (some onions may have charred during the roasting process; discard if desired). Add bread, fennel, fennel fronds, parsley, lemon juice and remaining 1 Tbsp oil. Toss until bread has absorbed the liquid.

Arrange a bed of mixed lettuces on a large platter. Scatter bread salad on top. Carve the chicken and arrange on the salad. Serve immediately.