Simple Bistro Style Roast Chicken

Simple Bistro Style Roast Chicken. Dark golden crispy skin and tender juicy meat makes this chicken a weekly must. [social_share/]Yum

I have a question for you but before I go there please remember that I am immature and I have a warped sense of humor. Ok, here goes…does this bird look naked or is it just me? I feel like I should have photoshopped some undies for this little roasted guy, instead he’s just out there naked for the whole world to see. No matter how much I try to compose myself every time I see the first photo I start to giggle and think “naked”, “exposed”, “centerfold”, “put some clothes on”. My intent was to show how simple this chicken recipe is to prepare but I think I made it too simple in photos. My immaturity has obviously gotten the best of me today. And since we are all friends I thought I would bring it up in case I’m not the only one thinking it or worse, I was the only one thinking it and now you all know that when I see the above roasted chicken I think naked which is just strange…I better just stop there.

The truth is I use to have a love/hate relationship with chicken. I loved it when someone else cooked it but hated it when I cooked it. It wasn’t until I found an article in Cooking Light for French Bistro Chicken over a year ago. Come to find out I had been roasting my chicken wrong all these years, or at least not like the French.

For years I seasoned the outside of the chicken skin when I should have been seasoning under the skin as well. Now I use a butter and dijon mustard mixture and slide it under the skin. The results are so incredibly tasty you won’t believe it based on how simple it is. Now I will warn you, each time I lift the skin up with my hands to run seasoning under it I get the heeby jeebies. I swear I hear Hannibal Lecter whispering “Clarice, Clarice…” over my shoulder. But in the name of flavor and because the French know their food I do it.

I always roasted my chicken breast side up in the pan relying on basting to keep it moist. The French Bristro way..breast side down for the first half so it roasts in the fabulous juices for 45 minutes, then for the second half the bird gets flipped and it cooks breast side up allowing the skin to get crispy and golden. Since perfecting (thank you Cooking Light) my chicken roasting ways we have this almost every week and I have had a loving relationship with chicken ever since. And BTW, I’m a dark meat girl if I have a choice but the breast of this chicken is just as tender and moist as the dark meat.

Give these tips a try and you will love making your own Simple Bistro Style Roast Chicken at home and love eating it even more.

Enjoy!

Stacey

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Simple Bistro Style Roast Chicken

The Sugar Coated Cottage

Simple Bistro Style Roast Chicken. Dark golden crispy skin and tender juicy meat makes this chicken a weekly must.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 1 hr 30 mins

Total Time 1 hr 45 mins

Course Dinner

Servings 1 roasted chicken

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1- 4 lb give or take chicken (giblets, etc, removed if inside the cavity)
• 4 Tbsp butter melted
• 2 1/2 Tbsp dijon mustard
• pinch of salt
• pinch of pepper

Instructions

 

• Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees F
• You will need a dutch oven or high sided fry pan
• Butter or oil dutch oven/pan set aside
• Add the dijon mustard, salt, pepper to the melted butter. Stir to combine, mixture will thicken.
• Starting with the breast side, gently lift the chicken skin being careful not to break it, next put about 1 tbsp of mustard mixture under the skin on each side, massaging it around to cover as much as possible.
• Flip the chicken and repeat on the back side.
• Using whats on your hands massage the mustard mixture on top of the skin on the back side.
• Salt and pepper the top of the back side of chicken.
• Place chicken into prepared pan breast side down.
• Save remaining 1 Tbsp mixture for when you flip the chicken to rub on top of skin on the breast side.
• Bake chicken for 45 minutes.
• After 45 minutes flip the chicken over, careful that the underside skin is not sticking to the pan.*
• The breast side should now be facing up and you can rub remaining mustard mixture on top, salt and pepper the chicken again and roast for another 45 minutes or until juice run clear.**
• Allow to rest for 10 minutes. Cut and serve.

Notes

*When getting ready to flip the chicken be careful that underside skin does not stick and rip. Before flipping I move the juices around in the pan gently to help release anything that may stick. If skin does tear its ok but avoid if possible.
** Roast until juices run clear - this means no blood in the juices. If you see blood cook in additional 10 minute intervals until juices run clear.

If using a larger bird adjust roasting time and mustard mixture as needed.

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