Something happened to me in the last 15 years: I became a chicken person. Not that I didn’t like the protein before, but it was often overcooked in my house growing up so I never appreciated it unless it was fried. But in this last decade and a half, I’ve both cooked recipes myself and eaten dishes prepared by others that totally changed my mind. And thank god, because these days I really, really love chicken.

Let’s rewind to one revelatory moment last September, when I was on vacation in Montana with my husband and we spent three nights at The Ranch at Rock Creek. We ate lunch there every day, including the day we arrived and the day we left, meaning we had four midday meals at the property. On all four of those days, we ordered a chicken dish that I can only describe as otherworldly.

The dinner menu at The Ranch at Rock Creek changes every night, but the lunch menu is the same for a week, save for a couple specials each day. We both became so enamored with this poultry recipe that we ordered it at every single meal.

“Sous chef Jack Kirk wanted to celebrate the bounty of the late summer gardens of Montana,” says Executive Chef Zachary Ladwig. “This dish represents the best local Montana producers have to offer, from the organic peppers to the naturally-raised chicken.”

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The pastured airline chicken breast — a cut that leaves the skin on and drumette attached to the boneless breast — came from nearby Living River Farms and was lightly smoked before roasting to give it a crispy, succulent finish. It was so flavorful and juicy that it barely needed its accoutrements. But as a sauce girl, I was glad they were included because the luxurious pepita romesco and crunchy, nutty salsa macha took the dish over the top. I’m not sure how many times we told the staff it was the best chicken we ever had, but we geeked out about it for the rest of the trip.

Here we are, four months later, and the kitchen at The Ranch at Rock Creek was gracious enough to share the recipe with me. It’s not only simple enough to make at home, but it’s also conducive to weeknight cooking — simply make the romesco in advance and all you have to do is roast the chicken and serve (you can forgo the smoking if you want a quicker dish or don’t have a smoker).

Your butcher can prepare airline chicken breasts for you, but if you like a project, you can cut one from a whole chicken (there are plenty of tutorials on YouTube). The chefs from RRC didn’t include their salsa macha recipe, but you can buy it or make your own (I like this recipe from Pati Jinich). They also garnish the dish with mini sweet peppers, which you should absolutely do.

Chicken With Pepita Romesco

Servings: 4-6

Ingredients

For the romesco:
3-4 red bell peppers
⅓ cup pepitas
1 small white onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, sliced
2 Tbsp. sherry vinegar
⅓ cup + 2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
1 tsp. smoked paprika
Kosher salt, to taste
Water, as needed
Smoked paprika, to taste
For the chicken:
4-6 airline chicken breasts
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2-3 sprigs fresh thyme
2 cups water
2 Tbsp. kosher salt
1 Tbsp. Bragg Liquid Aminos or soy sauce
Mini bell peppers
Salsa macha

Directions

For the romesco:
1. Roast the bell peppers at 450°F until charred and blistered. Add them to a bowl and cover with a towel to steam briefly. Peel, seed and roughly chop.
2. Toast the pepitas in a 350°F oven for 6 to 8 minutes until fragrant and golden. Cool completely.
3. In a medium pan, sweat the onion and garlic in ⅓ cup olive oil over medium-low heat until translucent and soft. Do not let them brown. Deglaze the pan with sherry vinegar and reduce briefly. Add roasted peppers and cook for 5 to 7 minutes to marry the flavors.
4. Transfer mixture to a blender with the toasted pepitas and blend until smooth, adding small amounts of water as needed to get a thick, velvety consistency. With the blender running, stream in the remaining 2 Tbsp. olive oil. Season with kosher salt and smoked paprika to taste.
5. If making ahead, cool then refrigerate. Reheat gently before serving.
For the chicken:
1. Remove chicken and pat dry. If you have a smoker, smoke the chicken at ~120°F until lightly smoked.
2. Place the chicken breasts in a container or bowl. Combine water, kosher salt, Bragg Liquid Aminos, garlic and thyme. Stir until salt dissolves, then pour over chicken ensuring it’s fully submerged. Refrigerate 2 to 4 hours or overnight.
3. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Roast the chicken for 20 to 25 minutes until the internal temp reaches 165°F.
To serve:
1. Spread some of the romesco on the bottom of a plate, and place a chicken breast on top of it. Garnish with grilled or roasted mini sweet peppers and salsa macha.

Meet your guide

Amanda Gabriele

Amanda is InsideHook’s Senior Editor and has been writing about food, drinks, travel and style for 16 years. She’s written for Travel + Leisure, Eater, Gear Patrol and New York Magazine among other outlets.