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