WHEN it comes to French cooking, roast chicken is one of the most celebrated dishes out there. Roast chicken is one of Mardi’s favourite “fast food” options in France– you can find it in any neighbourhood market or corner bistro. This recipe is based on one Mardi and her partner, Neil, learned at cooking school, and their version was named by their friends’ daughter when she was 7. She couldn’t believe how much butter Neil was using to cook the chicken, and when describing the scene, she dubbed the dish Mr. Neil’s Roast Chicken. Key to its success: don’t skimp on the butter!
Mr. Neil’s Roast Chicken
Serves 4
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook time: about 1 1/2 hours
INGREDIENTS:
2-3 cups roughly chopped assorted root vegetables (carrots, parsnips, potatoes)
2 medium (12 oz/350 g total) yellow onions, thickly sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 small lemons, grate the zest of one and use both for the chicken
6 springs fresh thyme
2 teaspoons flaky sea salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 whole chicken (3 lb/1.5 kg)
2 cloves garlic, unpeeled but smashed
A few springs fresh thyme
1/4 cup (57 g) salted butter at room temperature
1-2 teaspoons dried Herbes de Provence or dried thyme
Freshly ground black pepper
FOR BASTING:
1/4 cup (57 g) salted butter, melted
2 cloves garlic, unpeeled but smashed
METHOD:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees (220 degrees Celsius).
Scatter the chopped vegetables in a roasting pan with the olive oil. Add the lemon zest, thyme, salt and pepper to the vegetables and, using your hands, mix until all the vegetables are coated. Make sure the vegetables are sitting evenly on the bottom of the roasting pan.
Pat the cavity of the bird dry using paper towel.
Cut both the lemons in quarters and place them in the cavity of the bird with the smashed garlic and a few sprigs of fresh thyme. If all the lemon quarters don’t fit you can pop them in the pan with the vegetable- just don’t forget to take then out when you are serving the chicken.
Cut about half of the butter into small pieces and place them under the skin of the bird. To do this, start at the cavity end of the chicken and slide one or two fingers between the meat and the skin, Work slowly, separating the skin from the meat as far as you can reach. Squish the butter pieces slightly and fit them under the skin as best you can.
Spread the remainder of the butter over the outside of the skin, The easiest way to do this is with your hands. Season the bird with the Herbes de Provence or dried thyme and a touch of pepper.
Place the bird directly on the vegetables in the roasting pan and place in the oven for 20 minutes, until the skin starts to brown nicely.
Add the smashed garlic to the melted butter and place this over very low heat on the stovetop. You will use this to baste the chicken while it’s roasting.
Turn down the oven to 400 degrees (200 degrees Celsius) and roast the chicken for 60 to 70 minutes more, or until a meat thermometer inserted into the high part of the thigh registers 165 degrees (74 degrees Celsius). Normally you can count on about 20 minutes’ cook time per pound (454 g) of chicken but to be absolutely sure, a meat thermometer is the way to go!
While the bird is cooking, baste it every 20 minutes or so with the melted butter and smashed garlic. This will season the bird even more.
Once the chicken is cooked, remove it from the oven (leave the vegetables in the roasting pan), place it on a cutting board (preferably one that has a drain ridge to catch any juices), cover it loosely with aluminum foil and allow it to rest for about 10 minutes before you carve it.
Give the vegetables a good stir and place the roasting pan back in the oven until you are ready to serve the meal. If the vegetables are not crispy enough, you can set the broiler to high and broil for about 5 minutes, but do keep an eye on them as they might burn.
- Mardi’s note- Kids might be squeamish about touching raw chicken (especially when it comes to placing the lemons, garlic and herbs in the cavity and the butter under and over the skin). The more they see you doing tasks like this, though, the more normal it will appear. In the meantime, get them busy chopping vegetables and mixing in the oil and seasoning in the roasting pan.