Rosemary Roasted Jidori Chicken

I've been noticing several restaurants here in San Diego now offer "Jidori Chicken" in their menus, and for a while I thought Jidori was a method of cooking, but later I found out it was a type of chicken. Basically, Jidori is a Japanese term meaning "chicken of the Earth." These chickens are fresh, all-natural, no hormones, free range and the chickens eat the best feed. Jidori chickens are apparently so fresh that some Japanese restaurants even serve them sashimi-style...yes raw!

We went to the Prado a couple of weeks ago with my parents and I ordered the Rosemary Jidori chicken. It was moist, perfectly roasted and perfectly seasoned. It was served with garlic mashed potatoes, sauteed spinach and perfectly sauteed mushrooms. The dish is under $20 and I recommend it. We had a nice sauvignon blanc to go with the chicken and it worked wonderfully, although a lighter pinot noir would have been good, too.

I've been looking for Jidori chicken recipes, but it's very difficult to find one. Also, it's almost impossible for a consumer to buy fresh Jidori chicken here in San Diego, unless you're a restaurant owner. So, if you're lucky, buy one and roast it. Below is a simple yet classic recipe for rosemary chicken.

INGREDIENTS (4 servings)

• 2 young chickens, about 2 to 3 pounds each
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 or 2 fresh rosemary sprigs
• 1 1/2 lemons, cut into chunks

Seasoned Salt

• 2 tablespoons very finely minced lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary
• 2 tablespoons sea salt, preferably gray salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F if you have no convection fan, or to 425 degrees F if you have a convection fan.

Rinse the chickens inside and out and dry well.

Make the salt: In a bowl, combine the lemon zest, rosemary, salt, and pepper, mixing well. Rub the chicken all over with the olive oil, and then rub with 3 tablespoons of the seasoned salt. (Reserve the remaining salt for another use.) Tuck the rosemary sprigs and lemon chunks into the chicken cavity. You don't need to truss the chicken.

Place the birds on a rack in a roasting pan and roast for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature by 75 degrees F and continue roasting until the juices run clear when a thigh is pierced with a skewer, about 50 to 55 minutes longer. Transfer the chicken to a platter and let rest for at least 10 minutes before carving.