Roast Chicken Breasts with Miso Kumquat Chutney

Directions

• A few hours before you plan to eat, or up to 8, pat the chicken breasts dry and season generously with salt. Line a small baking sheet with tin foil and place a rack on top of the sheet. Place chicken on the rack, skin side up, and place in the fridge uncovered.
• About an hour before you plan to eat, preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Remove the chicken from the fridge and stick ½ tbsp of butter under the skin of each breast. Season generously with freshly ground pepper. You can add other seasonings at this point, but the kumquat chutney will bring a LOT of flavor on its own. Let sit at room temp while you start the chutney.
• Quarter the kumquats and remove any big seeds as you see them (you can decide how obsessive you want to be). Place the kumquats in a bowl, and add the miso paste, lime zest, and a pinch of salt. Use your hands to massage the miso paste into the kumquats. Let the mixture sit for 10-15 minutes while you prep your other ingredients.
• After 15 minutes, heat a small saucepan over medium heat and add enough oil to generously coat the bottom of the pan.
• At this point, place the tray with the chicken in the oven and set a timer for 30 minutes. You want to cook them until a meat thermometer inserted to the deepest part of the breast registers 150 degrees. This should take about 30-35 minutes.
• Add the mustard seeds to the saucepan and, one they start popping, add the ginger and chili. Saute for 2 minutes, until very fragrant and soft.
• Add the kumquat mixture and reduce the heat to medium low. Saute for 2 minutes or so, stirring regularly, then add the spices and mix to combine. Continue to saute until the spices begin to caramelize, another 2 minutes.
• Add the water and sugar, then cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 10 minutes. At this point, taste the chutney, and adjust seasoning as needed. It should be jammy with moderately tender (not mushy) slices of kumquats. If the chutney feels too dry, add a splash more of water and cook until the consistency is jammy. Remove to a small bowl and let cool.
• If your chicken skin isn’t as crispy as you want when it’s getting close to 150 degrees, you can broil it for a minute or two. When the chicken is done, remove from the oven and let rest 5-10 minutes.
• Remove each breast from the bone and slice. Place the slices on a serving platter with lots of torn herbs and top with as much chutney as you wish. Save any leftover chutney for spreading on bread with cheese, or topping any other protein of your choice.