French Food Friday - Poulet Roti/Roast Chicken

We love  poulet roti and we can buy delicious, freshly roasted chickens from the local weekly markets, at our village butchers and even at our supermarket.

We only eat free range chickens and there are always plenty of locally sourced chickens available.

This weekend the forecast is not pleasant, it is going to be chilly and wet so I am planning on roasting a chicken.

Thanks to Thomas Keller for his  simple yet delicious recipe which  always turns out well

Poulet Roti/Roast Chicken

INGREDIENTS

One 2- to 3-pound free range chicken

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoons minced thyme (optional)

Unsalted butter

Dijon mustard

PREPARATION

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Rinse the chicken, then dry it very well with paper towels, inside and out. The less it steams, the drier the heat, the better.

Salt and pepper the cavity, then truss the bird. Trussing is not difficult, and if you roast chicken often, it's a good technique to feel comfortable with. When you truss a bird, the wings and legs stay close to the body; the ends of the drumsticks cover the top of the breast and keep it from drying out. Trussing helps the chicken to cook evenly, and it also makes for a more beautiful roasted bird.

Now, salt the chicken,  rain the salt over the bird so that it has a nice uniform coating that will result in a crisp, salty, flavorful skin (about 1 tablespoon). When it's cooked, you should still be able to make out the salt baked onto the crisp skin. Season to taste with pepper.

Place the chicken in a sauté pan or roasting pan and, when the oven is up to temperature, put the chicken in the oven. Leave it alone and Roast it until it's done, 50 to 60 minutes. 

Remove it from the oven and add the thyme, if using, to the pan. 

Baste the chicken with the juices and thyme and let it rest for 15 minutes on a cutting board.

Remove the twine. Separate the middle wing joint and eat that immediately. Remove the legs and thighs. Cut the breast down the middle and serve it on the bone, with one wing joint still attached to each. The preparation is not meant to be superelegant. Slather the meat with fresh butter. Serve with mustard on the side and, if you wish, a simple green salad. 

I normally serve ours with potato wedges which are cooked with a tablespoon of olive oil, a tablespoon of herbes de provence and roasted in the oven for 30-40 minutes.

Bon appetit ♥♥ Leeann x