Best Chicken Ever

Browning on top of the stove

After Baking in the Oven

Perfect potatoes!

My kind of Chicken Salad

We missed going to a Chicken with Lyonnaise Potato Dinner at Papilles. When I read the menu on-line I was very disappointed we that we hadn’t gone there. We decided to cook the entire menu at home to make up for it. It turned out to be delicious. We had never made this recipe for Roast Chicken before. It was great! In fact, this is probably the BEST chicken recipe we have eve found!

The recipe is called: Roast Chicken for Two and is from The Balthhazar Cookbook by Keith McNally, Riad Nasr & Lee Hansen. Balthazar is a wonderful French Bistro in Manhattan. If you are in NYC you must eat there!

To accompany the chicken we made: Wolfgang Puck's Lyonnaise Potatoes from Wolfgang Puck's Modern French Cooking for the American Kitchen. This is a classic preparation. Crispy potatoes at home; how wonderful is that!

Roast Chicken for Two

The Balthhazar Cookbook

Keith McNally, Riad Nasr & Lee Hansen

This dish has a devoted following and is a favorite among regulars who don't bother to look at a menu before ordering, in the restaurant, the chicken is served with Garlic Mashed Potatoes and a selection of Pan-Roasted Root Vegetables. At home we suggest throwing in some diced vegetables—like carrots, celery root, and mushrooms—along with the chicken, making it a very simple supper.

SERVES 2

3         sprigs of rosemary, finely chopped

6         sprigs of thyme, finely chopped

8         sprigs of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

4         tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, at room temperature

1/8         teaspoon plus 1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8         teaspoon plus 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1         3-1/2-pound chicken, rinsed and dried, wings snipped at the elbow

1         head of garlic, split horizontally

3         tablespoons olive oil

Roast Chicken Jus warm, optional

Preheat the oven to 450°F.

In a amall bowl, combine half the rose­mary, thyme, and parsley with the softened butter, using a fork to blend the herbs and butter. Season with 1/8 teaspoon of the salt and 1/8 teaspoon of the pepper. Going through the neck opening, slide the herbed butter under the skin of both breasts. Stuff the cavity with the remain­ing chopped herbs and the garlic. Truss the chicken with butcher's twine and season with ¼ teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper.

Over a high flame, heat the olive oil in a heavy ovenproof saute pan (or, if making 2 chickens, a roasting pan) until it smokes. Place the bird on its side, searing the leg and breast. Leave it untouched in the pan for at least 4 minutes, turning only when the bird is burnished brown.

Turn to brown the other breast side, and then the top and bottom of the bird so that it is well-browned on all sides.

(Note: If including diced vegetables in the pan for a one-pot meal, lower the flame to medium and add the vegetables to the pan now. Stir to coat with the olive oil and rendered chicken fat. Brown and soften the vegetables, about 10 minutes, then continue with the directions below.)

Spoon out the excess fat and transfer the-pan to the oven. Cook for 40 minutes, basting occasionally. The bird is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 155°F. or when the juices run clear from the joint between leg and thigh. If the bird's skin begins to burn, cover with an aluminum-foil tent for the remainder of the cooking time.

Serve with the jus passed on the side.

Wolfgang Puck's Lyonnaise Potatoes

Lyonnaise Potatoes 
From Wolfgang Puck's Modern French Cooking for the American Kitchen

You must do this in a nonstick pan; otherwise the potatoes will not unmold properly.

Ingredients:

1 medium onion, thinly sliced 
4 Tbsp clarified unsalted butter 
3 large Idaho or baking potatoes, peeled 
1-1/2 tsp salt 
1 tsp freshly ground pepper

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400°F (205°C).

Sauté sliced onions in 1 tablespoon butter until lightly golden brown. Reserve.

Cut the potatoes into 1/8-inch slices. (Do not soak in water when sliced.) Immediately mix with the remaining 3 Tbsp butter, salt, and pepper.

In a 10-inch nonstick baking pan, arrange half the potatoes in one layer. Cover with the sautéed onions and top with the remaining potatoes.

Bake approximately 30 minutes, until the potatoes are golden brown and crispy. If the underside of the potatoes is not browned when the potatoes are tender, finish over high heat on the stove top.

Note: Potatoes may be baked in individual 4-inch pans for 12 to 15 minutes.

Yield: To serve 6