Watch CBS News

Chef Bill Fuller's Recipe: Eleven Chicken

Chef Bill Fuller stopped by Pittsburgh Today Live to show off a chicken recipe to celebrate Eleven's 10th anniversary!

Eleven Chicken, Roasted Breast, Braised Leg Risotto, Escarole, Thyme Jus

Serves 4

Ingredients:

  • 2 ea. 3 ½ to 4 # Amish (or free-range) chicken, legs removed, wings, carcass, and drumsticks reserved for another purpose. (See following procedure)
  • 2 qt. Chicken Stock (See following procedure)
  • (Kitchen Basics is a good brand if you do not have homemade.)
  • 2-3 Tbs. Picked fresh thyme, stems reserved
  • Braised Greens (See below)
  • ½ C. Diced carrots (1/4" dice)
  • ½ C. Diced celery (1/4" dice)
  • ½ # Arborio rice

Plating:
1) Place small mound of braised greens in center of plate. Top with scoop of thigh rice.
2) Slice chicken breast and fan around rice.
3) Finish with pan sauce.

Chicken Butchery:
1) Clean out chicken cavies. Reserve heart, gizzard, and neck for stock. If desired, reserve liver for a separate use. Wash and dry chickens.
2) Lay chicken on its back. Cut skin between leg meat and breast meat. Follow skin along edge of leg meat down to back. Turn chicken onto breast.
3) Cut around 'oyster' and break leg free of body at joint. Follow bone to back of carcass. Repeat on other leg. Trim fat on legs to fit meat. Split thih and drumstick.
4) Run boning knife around base of wing. Twist meat and pull off clean. Add to stockpot.
5) Season chicken front with salt and pepper and allow to cure, refrigerated, for at least an hour but preferably overnight.

Thigh Cooking:
1) Season both sides of thigh with salt, pepper, and chopped fresh thyme. Lay skin side up in shallow baking pan.
2) Place in 450 oven and cook until skin is lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Add enough stock to nearly cover thigh and return to oven. Reduce temperature to 275 and cook until very tender, at least half an hour. (If stock nearly reduces dry, replenish with a little water or stock. When done, leg should be glazed by the stock and meat tender.)
3) Remove thighs from braising liquid. Save braising liquid for risotto.
4) Pull meat from bones. Reserve. Discard bones and veins.

Breast Cooking:
1) Heat oven to 400°.
2) Remove chicken front from oven at least 20 minutes before roasting.
3) When oven is hot, place chicken front on a roasting rack and place in the center of the oven.
4) Cook until internal temperature is 165°.
5) Remove and allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Pan Sauce
1) After chicken breasts are done and removed from the pan, turn heat to high. Deglaze with approximately ½ C. chicken stock.
2) Reduce stock to a glaze.
3) Add pinch chopped fresh thyme and whisk in 4-5 Tbs. butter. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Braised Greens

  • 1 # Escarole, stems sliced and leaves chopped.
  • 2 Tbs. Olive oil
  • 2-3 cloves Garlic, sliced thinly
  • Salt and Pepper

1) Stem, chop, and wash escarole. Drain well.
2) Heat olive oil in pan. Add garlic and cook until white.
3) Add greens and cook until wilted. Season with salt and pepper. Reserve warm.

Thigh Risotto

  • 1 Tbs. Butter
  • Carrot and Celery Root from above
  • Pre-cooked Arborio Rice (see below)
  • Reserved, picked Thigh Meat
  • 1 C. Hot chicken stock (braising liquid)
  • 1 Tbs. Butter
  • 2-3 Tbs. Grated Parmesan cheese

1) Warm butter in high-sided skillet. Add carrot and celery root and sauté until nearly cooked.
2) Add pre-cooked rice to pot.
3) Add a small amount of chicken stock (2 oz.) while stirring with a wooden spoon over medium heat until liquid is absorbed. Continue in this fashion until mixture is thick and creamy and rice is cooked but still al dente in the center (5 min. or so).
4) Stir in thigh meat.
5) Add butter and cheese. Adjust salt and pepper.

Pre-Cooked Arborio Rice

  • Approx. 1 qt. chicken stock, brought to a boil and kept hot
  • 1 Tbs. Butter
  • 1 Tbs. Olive oil
  • ¼ C. Minced onion
  • ½ # Arborio rice

1) Heat butter and oil in a wide, heavy pot over low heat. Sweat onions until soft. Add rice and cook, stirring to coat the grains with butter, until opaque, 2 to 3 min.
2) Add ½ C. hot stock and stir until liquid is absorbed. Continue adding in this fashion until all stock is added and the risotto is still soupy. Spread out on sheet pan to cool.

Chicken Stock

  • 3 Chicken Carcass
  • 1 Large onion, chopped
  • 1 Carrot, copped
  • 2 Stalks celery, chopped
  • 1 Head garlic, split
  • 1 tsp. Black peppercorns
  • 1 ea. Bay leaf
  • Sprigs fresh thyme

1) Place carcasses and organs (not livers!) into stockpot.
2) Place onions, carrots, and celery into pot.
3) Place garlic and herbs in pot. Cover with cold water and place on stove.
4) Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a minimal simmer. Skim fat and foam immediately! Cook 1-2 hours, skimming fat and foam regularly.
5) When done, skim fat and strain through a coarse mesh strainer. Strain again with a fine mesh strainer.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.