Paris Cookbook French Chicken or Poulet Roti Aux Endives et Aux Pommes de Terre

As my Dad would say Bon Bon Bon....delicious!

 I actually recieved this cookbook from my daughter Katie as a birthday gift -some of the recipes are over the top crazy that I would never do but this one appeared simple and what I found strikingly different was that you started the chicken on its side and then turned it to the other side then finally breast side up for the cooking-- I have to admit it definitely made a difference and was very flavorful. I took the leftovers and made the Chicken Orzo soup with the leftovers--see that recipe separately posted.

1 Chicken -3-3 1/2 lbs
2 cloves garlic peeled (plus 5-8 more cloves below)
2 T fresh thyme leaves

 salt and pepper
3 T EVOO, divided
1 lemon , halved
5-8 cloves garlic , unpeeled
1 fresh sprig rosemary
1# small new potatoes
pinch of sugar
4-6 heads of Belgian Endive
2 T butter
Coarse sea salt
1/2 c dry white wine
1 c chicken stock
few drops fresh lemon juice

Place one oven rack on the lowest part of the oven and the top rack into the upper third. Preheat to 375 degrees. Rinse your chicken inside and out and pat dry with paper towels.

OK so you were supposed to put the 2 garlic cloves, thyme, s/p (and after the EVOO) into a mortar and pestle and crush and grind together. See next picture!

after a few minutes at this game I was like the heck with this exercise and transferrred it onto my mini food processor which then I could crush and combine and add my 2 T EVOO

Then loosen skin at breast and put your herb mixture under skin AND rub inside body cavity. Then stuff half the lemon, the 5-8 unpeeled garlic cloves the other half of the lemon and the rosemary into chicken.

NOW tip chicken onto its side and place in lowest rack and roast in the oven for 20 minutes MEANWHILE...

Place potatoes in a pot of water with pinch of salt and sugar - bring to a boil then reduce and cook til tender but still firm about 10 min --drain and toss with remaining 1 T EVOO

After the first 20 min of chicken cooking -remove and place the potatoes around the chicken and turn the chicken to the other side for 20 min again

Return back to the oven for the 20 min for second side to cook--after that time TURN chicken again breast side up and complete cooking until thigh temp 170 --it was at least another 45 min or so for mine to reach that.

About 10 min before chicken is done arrange the endive leaves on a backing sheet in a single layer --take the 1 T butter and dot the leaves and sprinklle with coarse salt. Place on upper rack and roast until leaves are wilting and their edges ar brown about 6-10 min --dont over cook

Here is the chicken done--I wish we had 'smellavision' because the whole house smelled fabulous!!

Remove the chicken and potatoes and let the chicken rest. In the roasting pan, add the wine and deglaze over high heat, scraping any brown bits from the bottom. Cook until reduced to 1-2T about 5 min.

Now add your stock and cook for about 5-10 min

Then remove and add the remaining 1 T butter and lemon juice. Adjust your s/p if needed

Here it is on the platter with the sauce poured the potatoes, roastede endive and chicken

Here it is all pretty on a platter-would serve 4 people generously - broccoli steamed on side to add color!!