CLASSIC FRENCH ROASTED CHICKEN

This is a French bistro classic! I used to love to go to my favorite bistro in Nice and order this crispy-skin delight. It would be served with a local Dijon mustard and accompanied by a side of salty French fries. I craved this experience so much one day that I roasted this lovely bird and while it was roasting, made a quick trip to my local fast food shop and purchased two orders of fries and proceeded to pile them on my carving board. I then placed the entire masterpiece on the table to serve. Oh, the memories! (Clay 🍷)

Classic French Roasted Chicken

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Course Main Course

Cuisine American, French, Mediterranean

Servings 0

Ingredients

  

• 12 Tbsp Butter, room temperature divided
• 1 3-3 1/2lb. Whole Roasting Chicken
• 8 Fresh Whole Sage Leaves
• Sea Salt & Ground Pepper
• 1 Small Bunch of Flat-Leaf Parsley
• 1 Large Bunch of Fresh Thyme
• 1 Lemon, quartered
• Dijon Mustard for serving

Instructions

 

• Preheat Oven to 425°F
• Place half of the butter in a small saucepan and heat gently over medium heat to melt. Season with a pinch of Salt and Pepper.

  *This will be the basting liquid during the cooking process. You can also add a generous pinch of dried Thyme to this mixture to add additional flavor and aroma as the chicken roasts.
• Clean the Chicken and rinse thoroughly inside and out, then pat the outside completely dry. *You will want it as dry as possible as this will assist in creating a crispy skin.
• Place the Chicken on a board or directly in a roasting pan with a rack.

  Using your hands, loosen the skin over each breast separately by gently pushing your hand under the skin, gradually tearing the connective membrane, one side at a time.

  Take one Sage Leaf at a time and insert them under the skin, evenly placing them in a nice pattern. Repeat with the other breast.
• Season the inside and outside of the Chicken with Salt and Pepper.

  Stuff the Parsley, Thyme, and Lemon Quarters into the cavity of the Chicken, then truss the legs tightly together so the aromatics in the cavity steam inside the bird.
• Using the remaining half of the Butter, take a little at a time and rub it all over the bird-the breasts, legs, and thighs.
• Place the Chicken on the rack within your roasting pan, then place your roasting pan on the middle rack in your oven, uncovered. Immediately turn the oven down to 350°
• Let the Chicken roast for 30 minutes and then, using the melted butter evenly baste the chicken all over with a basting brush. Repeat this every 15 minutes until the Chicken is beautifully golden brown and cooked through, about 1 hour and 15 minutes.

  *The internal temperature in the thickest part of the thigh should read 160°F when it’s removed from the oven. The temperature will continue to rise to 165°F as the Chicken rests.

  Tent the Chicken with some foil and let it rest for 10-15 minutes before carving. *If carved too soon, all the juices will run out.
• Serve with some French Dijon Mustard along with your favorite sides.

Notes

Some of our favorite sides-besides our favorite French Fries-include:

1. Clay’s famous Potatoes Au Gratin

2. Herbed Fingerling Potatoes

3. Asparagus with Caper Vinaigrette.

4. A generous Spring Mix or Butter Lettuce Salad with our Classic French Vinaigrette 

5. Green Beans, boiled for 5 minutes, then tossed with a Tbsp of Butter or Olive Oil, and topped with Orange or Lemon Zest. 

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