Best Roast Chicken Ever

File this under "I will always regret the things I didn't do". L'Ami Louis is a famous Paris Bistro that is famous for their Roast Chicken. Every time we have been in Paris I have wanted to eat there. But for one reason or another we never have dined there. I promise myself on our next trip to Paris we will finally eat there. Meanwhile, here is a great recipe for the chicken, but I am sure it won't be the same, however it will be a hell of a lot cheaper, for L'Ami Louis is fabulously expensive!

Poulet Roti L’Ami Louis

L’Ami Louis’s Roast Chicken

Bistro Cooking

Patrica Wells

If the dozens of bistro dishes I have sampled again and again over aII the years, it is the roast chicken at L’Ami Louis that remains at the top of my list. What is so delightful is that this is such an over-whelming simple dish to prepare. The secret is to rub the chicken with goose or other poultry fat before roasting it. The chicken is roasted in a hot oven, then melted butter and water are blended with the rich cooking juices. The firm, fresh, pungent watercress leaves serve as a great foil.

1       whole roasting chicken (3 to 4 pounds), well rinsed and patted dry, at room temperature

1       tablespoon poultry fat, or substitute butter

Salt

4       tablespoons unsalted butter

1.  Preheat the oven to 425 Degrees

2.  Place the liver, gizzard, heart, and neck inside the cavity of the
chicken. Truss with household string. Place the chicken in a roasting pan just large enough to hold it. Rub the chicken all over with the poultry fat. Season with salt.

3.  Place the roasting pan in the center of the oven. Roast, basting every 10 minutes or so to ensure even browning without drying out, until the juices run clear when the thigh is pierced with a fork, about 1-1/2 hours for a 4-pound chicken.

4.  Remove the chicken from the oven. Pour any juices from die chicken cavity into the roasting pan. Allow the chicken to rest for 10 minutes before carving.

5.  Meanwhile, add the butterand 3 tablespoons of water to the roasting pan, and deglaze the pan over high heat, scraping up any caramelized bits of skin that stick to the pan. Cook until the liquid is reduced to a syrup, 2 to 3 minutes.

6.  Carve the chicken and place the pieces on a warmed platter. Pour the sauce over the chicken. Arrange the watercress around the chicken pieces. Serve immediately.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

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