Ingredients
1/2 pound prosciutto cotto (cooked ham), coarsely chopped
1/3 pound pancetta, thinly sliced and coarsely chopped
3-4 tablespoons fresh rosemary, coarsely chopped, plus a few sprigs for roasting
4 large cloves garlic, grated and finely chopped or very thinly sliced
2 teaspoons fennel seed or 1 teaspoon seed and 1 teaspoon pollen
Zest of 1 lemon
1 chicken (4-5 pounds), butterflied/back bone removed
Olive oil, for liberal drizzling
Kosher salt and black pepper
3 lemons, halved
1 bulb fennel, cut into 1 1/2-inch wedges
1 medium onion, cut into wedges
4 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into wedges
1/2 cup dry white wine or chicken stock or a combination of both
Directions
Pre-heat the oven to 350°F. Place the ham and pancetta in a food processor bowl and pulse into a fine chop. Combine with the chopped rosemary, garlic, fennel seed and lemon zest. Loosen the skin of the chicken all over and stuff the pork mixture in an even layer between the meat and skin. Drizzle the chicken liberally with olive oil on both sides and season with salt and pepper on both sides. Brush a roasting pan with olive oil and arrange the lemons cut-side down. Dress the fennel, onions and potatoes with olive oil; season with salt and pepper and add to the pan with a few additional sprigs of rosemary. Arrange the chicken on a rack over the vegetables or directly on top of the fennel and potatoes. Roast for 30 minutes; add the wine and/or stock and raise the heat to 450°F. Roast for 30 minutes more, or until the juices run clear. Douse the chicken with the roasted lemon juice. Carve and serve with the fennel, onion and potatoes alongside.
