Chicken Catanzaro Style

Ingredients

• 1 3 1/2 pound chicken
• 1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley
• 3 anchovy fillets, finely chopped
• Zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup small capers, drained and chopped
• 5 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 6 small onions, peeled and halved
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Directions

1. Set the chicken on a cutting board with the breast facing up, and take out the wishbone, the little collarbone near the neck end. Turn the bird over; with kitchen shears or a heavy knife, cut down one side of the backbone and then the other so you can lift it away. Open the chicken out flat, then remove the ribcage and breastbone. When you are finished, the only bones left should be in the legs and wings.
2. Mix the bread crumbs with parsley, chopped anchovies, the lemon zest, nutmeg, cinnamon, and half of the capers. Pour 3 tablespoons olive oil over the mixture and toss it together.
3. Mound two-thirds of the filling in the middle of the chicken. Bring the chicken closed again and secure the opening with toothpicks along the spot where the backbone had been. Tuck the rest of the filling underneath the breast skin. Use more toothpicks to fasten any places where the stuffing looks likely to escape.
4. Warm the remaining oil over medium heat in a skillet large enough to fit the chicken without crowding, and wait until the oil shimmers. Place the chicken in the pan with the seam underneath, cover, and cook for 5 minutes. Turn it gently, cover again, and cook the second side the same way.
5. Turn the chicken back over and scatter the onions around it. Reduce the heat to medium-low, put the lid on, and cook until the onions are soft and the pan has collected a good amount of juices, about 40 minutes.
6. Remove the lid, then add the remaining capers, lemon juice, and vinegar. Cover the pan again and keep cooking until the chicken is tender and the juices in the pan have reduced into a caramelized, concentrated sauce.
7. Move the chicken out of the pan to rest. If the onions and juices need a little more reducing, keep cooking them until they come together as a sauce. Serve the chicken with the onions and pan juices.