Sourdough Chicken

Make Chicken Jus

1. In large pan over medium-high heat, fry chicken wings until browned on all sides. Avoid letting them burn; darker than golden will result in bitter jus.
2. Remove wings from pan and set aside. Degrease pan if necessary. Return pan to high heat. Add onion and cook for 1 minute, then deglaze with white wine, scraping up any browned bits. Simmer until wine is reduced by half, then return chicken wings to pan.
3. Pour in Brown Chicken Broth, bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cover with piece of parchment paper and braise for 3 hours on stove over low heat, or in 320°F oven.
4. Strain through fine-mesh sieve into clean saucepan and reduce liquid until approximately one-third of original volume remains; it should be glossy and thick enough to coat back of spoon. Strain again through fine-mesh sieve into heatproof container. Set aside to cool until ready to use.

Make Sourdough Marinade and Marinate Chicken

1. In large container (large enough to allow sourdough to expand to 3 times its original volume), combine sourdough starter, water, all-purpose flour and whole wheat flour. Mix until well combined (it’s OK if it’s a bit lumpy). Let it sit for at least 8 hours in a warm place. At that point, it should be nice and bubbly.
2. Add just enough water to achieve crêpe batter consistency. Weigh mixture and add 2% salt by weight. Add chicken, coat thoroughly and marinate for 3 days in airtight container.

Make Crêpe Batter

1. In bowl, whisk sourdough starter, buckwheat flour, water and salt to form loose batter. Set aside at room temperature until ready to use.

Fry Chicken

1. Remove chicken from Sourdough Marinade, letting some excess drip off (don’t wipe it clean!). Let it reach room temperature for 30 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 375°F. Put cast-iron pan large enough to fit half chicken over medium-high heat and add splash of oil. When sizzling, add 1 ladleful of Sourdough Crêpe Batter and place chicken skin side–down on top. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until crêpe is golden.
3. Transfer pan to oven and roast for 8 to 10 minutes, until chicken is nearly cooked through. Remove from oven and flip chicken meat side–down. Add butter, garlic and thyme. Let chicken rest in pan off heat for 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to plate and rest for 10 minutes before portioning.

Serve

1. Portion each half chicken into 2 pieces. Serve with warm Chicken Jus and big salad.