Roast Chicken with Crisp Toasts and Ricotta

A sophisticated roasted chicken stuffed with a creamy ricotta, pine nut, and sage mixture, served on crispy sourdough toasts with a rich Marsala cream sauce. Perfect for a special dinner occasion.

4 servings

27 hr 23 min

Published October 4, 2025

Ingredients

•1 whole 3 1/2-4 pound chicken
•2 tablespoons Kosher salt
•8 leaves fresh sage leaves
•2 teaspoons flaky sea salt (such as Maldon)
•¼ cup pine nuts
•¾ cup fresh whole-milk ricotta
•1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
•1 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
•1 tablespoons olive oil
•2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
•4 slices 1"-thick slices rustic sourdough loaf
•¾ cup dry Marsala
•½ cup heavy cream
•½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
•2 tablespoons unsalted butter
•2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, divided
•1 teaspoon Kosher salt
•½ teaspoon Freshly ground black pepper
•¼ cup spicy greens (such as arugula or watercress)
•1 tablespoons olive oil
•2 tablespoons olive oil for drizzling

Cooking Instructions

1.
Season chicken inside and out with kosher salt and chill, uncovered, 12-24 hours.
1440 min
2.
Let chicken stand at room temperature 1 hour.
60 min
3.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 450°.
10 min
4.
Pulse sage and sea salt in a food processor until finely ground. Add pine nuts and pulse until coarsely chopped. Transfer to a medium bowl and mix in ricotta, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Stuff chicken with ricotta mixture, then tie legs together with kitchen twine.
15 min
5.
Place chicken in a large ovenproof skillet or Dutch oven and rub all over with oil. Roast, basting every 10 minutes after the first 30 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a thigh registers 165°, 45-55 minutes. Brush butter over chicken and roast 5 minutes longer. Let rest 5 minutes.
60 min
6.
Arrange bread slices in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet or a cutting board with a well. Place chicken on top of bread and pour pan drippings over (reserve skillet). Tent chicken with foil and let rest 15-25 minutes, allowing bread to soak up juices.
20 min
7.
Heat reserved skillet over medium heat, then add wine, scraping up browned bits from bottom of skillet. Bring wine to a boil, reduce heat, and whisk in cream, broth, and butter until incorporated. Simmer, whisking often, until sauce coats the back of a spoon, 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in 1 tablespoons lemon juice, and season sauce with salt and pepper.
15 min
8.
Meanwhile, heat a medium cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium heat. Transfer soaked bread to pan and cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Set toasts aside.
8 min
9.
Toss greens, 1 tablespoons oil, and remaining 1 tablespoons lemon juice in a medium bowl; season with salt and pepper.
5 min
10.
Remove twine from chicken. Spoon stuffing onto reserved toasts and arrange on a platter. Cut chicken into quarters and place on top of bread. Pour sauce around; drizzle chicken with more oil and serve with greens.
10 min

Ingredients

•1 whole 3 1/2-4 pound chicken

•2 tablespoons Kosher salt

•8 leaves fresh sage leaves

•2 teaspoons flaky sea salt (such as Maldon)

•¼ cup pine nuts

•¾ cup fresh whole-milk ricotta

•1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

•1 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

•1 tablespoons olive oil

•2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

•4 slices 1"-thick slices rustic sourdough loaf

•¾ cup dry Marsala

•½ cup heavy cream

•½ cup low-sodium chicken broth

•2 tablespoons unsalted butter

•2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, divided

•1 teaspoon Kosher salt

•½ teaspoon Freshly ground black pepper

•¼ cup spicy greens (such as arugula or watercress)

•1 tablespoons olive oil

•2 tablespoons olive oil for drizzling

Cooking Instructions

Season chicken inside and out with kosher salt and chill, uncovered, 12-24 hours.

1440 min

Let chicken stand at room temperature 1 hour.

60 min

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 450°.

10 min

Pulse sage and sea salt in a food processor until finely ground. Add pine nuts and pulse until coarsely chopped. Transfer to a medium bowl and mix in ricotta, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Stuff chicken with ricotta mixture, then tie legs together with kitchen twine.

15 min

Place chicken in a large ovenproof skillet or Dutch oven and rub all over with oil. Roast, basting every 10 minutes after the first 30 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a thigh registers 165°, 45-55 minutes. Brush butter over chicken and roast 5 minutes longer. Let rest 5 minutes.

60 min

Arrange bread slices in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet or a cutting board with a well. Place chicken on top of bread and pour pan drippings over (reserve skillet). Tent chicken with foil and let rest 15-25 minutes, allowing bread to soak up juices.

20 min

Heat reserved skillet over medium heat, then add wine, scraping up browned bits from bottom of skillet. Bring wine to a boil, reduce heat, and whisk in cream, broth, and butter until incorporated. Simmer, whisking often, until sauce coats the back of a spoon, 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in 1 tablespoons lemon juice, and season sauce with salt and pepper.

15 min

Meanwhile, heat a medium cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium heat. Transfer soaked bread to pan and cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Set toasts aside.

8 min

Toss greens, 1 tablespoons oil, and remaining 1 tablespoons lemon juice in a medium bowl; season with salt and pepper.

5 min

10.

Remove twine from chicken. Spoon stuffing onto reserved toasts and arrange on a platter. Cut chicken into quarters and place on top of bread. Pour sauce around; drizzle chicken with more oil and serve with greens.

10 min