Porchetta-Spiced Roast Chicken

Directions

1. For the roast chicken: Place the salt, fennel seeds, pepper, chile flakes, oregano, rosemary, garlic, and the zest of the lemon (about 1 to 2 teaspoons) in a medium bowl and mix well. Reserve the zested lemon for later use. Place the spatchcocked chicken skin-side down in a 9- x 13-inch baking dish or quarter sheet pan and sprinkle one-third of the seasoning evenly over the inside of the chicken. Flip the chicken over and, carefully using your fingers, separate the skin from the breast meat to make a cavity for the seasoning. Take half of the remaining seasoning and stuff it under the skin of the bird. Sprinkle the last third of the seasoning evenly over the top of the chicken, massaging it into the skin. Cover, refrigerate, and let marinate for 6 hours to overnight.
2. One hour before roasting, remove the chicken from the refrigerator to come to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 300°F.
3. While the chicken is coming to room temperature, prepare the croutons for the stuffing: Spread the torn bread in an even layer on a baking sheet. Bake until just starting to dry out, about 20 minutes. Stir the bread, spreading back into an even layer, and return to the oven until it is completely dried out, about another 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.
4. Increase the oven temperature to 425°F.
5. To prepare the dressing base, heat the All-Clad 50th Anniversary 3-Quart Casserole over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until the fat has rendered and the bacon is just crisp, about 5 to 6 minutes. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and transfer to a large bowl (big enough to fit all the croutons). Remove all but about 3 tablespoons of bacon fat from the pan, reserving the leftover fat for another use, and add the shallots, salt, and pepper, and sauté until the shallots soften and start to turn lightly golden, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add the chicken stock and scrape up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Transfer the shallot and stock mixture to the bowl with the bacon.
6. Wipe out the pan and line the bottom with a piece of parchment paper (this will prevent the stuffing from sticking to the pan during baking).
7. Add the croutons to the chicken stock mixture and toss to coat, making sure every piece has absorbed some of the stock. Add the parsley and Parmigiano-Reggiano and toss to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings, as necessary. Transfer the dressing mixture to the parchment-lined All-Clad 50th Anniversary 3-Quart Casserole and spread into an even layer.
8. Nestle the spatchcocked chicken on top of the dressing, so it almost entirely blankets the top, tucking the wingtips under each breast. Slice the reserved zested lemon in half and place the halves in the two open spots near the drumsticks. Roast, basting with the melted butter 25 minutes and 45 minutes into roasting, until the chicken is deeply golden and the breast meat reads 165°F, about 70 to 85 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate and let it rest for about 15 minutes.
9. Give the dressing a stir, return to the oven and bake until the top is crispy and the interior is custardy and reads 165°F, about 12 to 15 minutes.
10. To serve, carve the chicken, arrange it back on top of the dressing and serve straight from the Casserole along with the roasted lemons for squeezing over at the table. Alternatively, transfer the stuffing to a large platter and arrange the chicken and roasted lemons on top