Sunday Roast Chicken: How to Have Dinner Like You're In Paris for $10 or Less

Really this post should be titled, “The Chicken That Started It All.” This is the first roast chicken recipe I ever tried, and it has remained my go-to, tried-and-true, “impress the guest” dish through every stage of my life, including grad school, living abroad, and wowing my husband as a newlywed (it worked!). It meets almost all my criteria for a perfect recipe in that it’s cheap, requires minimal effort, and looks and tastes way fancier than it is. If I could pull off cooking a green vegetable in the same pan as the chicken, it would tick the all-important “one pot meal” box, and it would truly be the perfect recipe. (If you, gentle reader, figure out some way to do that, by all means share!)

Life with a toddler: it begins.

If you remember, last year I started cooking my way through all the recipes in Ina Garten’s Barefoot in Paris. My sister and I discovered this cookbook at the public library more than ten years ago, and we loved it so much that we checked it out at least once a year, sometimes just to enjoy the beautiful pictures. Full of gorgeous, full-page color photos not only of luscious foodscapes but also seductive scenes from the City of Lights itself, we were captivated from the very first bite of Herb-Baked Eggs (p. 64); captivated by the flavor, and the fact that this elegant dish only called for ingredients we already had on hand at a cost of about $10—just like this roast chicken recipe. Who knew Paris could be so cheap? I wanted to buy the book, but my life was far too transient at the time to justify building up a personal library.

It could not be more fitting, then, that I got my very own copy while I was living in, you guessed it: Paris. I thought I had moved there to stay, but I couldn’t ignore the handsome, earnest California boy who insisted on calling me every day, and who wouldn’t stop asking me what I wanted for my birthday. He sent me my favorite cookbook, and a card so swoony and romantic that I knew I wouldn’t be living in Paris for long. ;)  

Three years and a baby later, Lemon Chicken with Croutons still graces our Sunday night table regularly. I love, just love the fact that one of the first grown-up recipes I ever made, one that’s seen me from starving student to wife and mother, will be a dish my children grow up on. Comfort food, with a taste of Paris.

Lemon Chicken with Croutons

Just barely adapted from Barefoot in Paris

4-5 lb chicken

large yellow onion, cut into 6-8 wedges

olive oil

kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

2 lemons, quartered

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

fresh baguette, cut into small cubes

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place the onion wedges in the bottom of a roasting pan and toss with a little olive oil. Discard any giblets from the chicken and dry inside and out with paper towels. Sprinkle the cavity generously with salt and pepper and place the lemons inside. Place the chicken on top of the onions in the roasting pan and brush the outside of the chicken with melted butter. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.

Here Ina knowledgably instructs you to “tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken.” You could do that. Or, you could skip it because you can’t be bothered, and (gasp!) the bird will turn out delectably edible all the same. Your call.

Roast for 1 ¼ to 1 ½ hours, until the juices run clear when you cut between the leg and thigh. When done, tent loosely with foil and let rest at least 15 minutes (but only if you want the meat to be melt-in-your-mouth tender and juicy).

While the chicken roasts, put the baguette cubes in a large bowl and drizzle generously with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and toss until croutons are well coated with oil. Spread on a foil-lined baking sheet. Once the chicken is done and resting, place the croutons in the 400 degree oven and let toast until golden brown, turning once, about 10-12 minutes. (I like to use the toasting time to throw together a salad.)

To serve, pile the croutons on a plate, place your preferred part of the chicken on top, and scoop large spoonfuls of caramelized onions and golden broth over everything. This is possibly the only roast chicken recipe for which gravy would actually detract from the meal. The cooking juices are incredibly flavorful, and best enjoyed lightly spooned over the croutons. For all you staunch gravy fans out there, let me assure you: one bite of chewy-crisp toasted baguette bursting with rich, lemony broth will convert you on the spot. For this one recipe, at least.

Bon appétit,

g.

Shout out to my friend Jo for being the lovely food model!