Hurry-Up-And-Wait Roast Chicken with tiny red potatoes and onions
I got fired up when I noticed this week’s French Fridays with Dorie recipe choice was Hurry-Up-And-Wait Roast Chicken.
Even more so by Dorie’s explanation, “In France, a roast chicken is a beloved staple — the most traditional dish for Sunday lunch. Yet the country’s little secret is that often home cooks don’t even roast the birds themselves: they buy them hot off the butcher’s rotisserie.”
This is when I became super excited. What Dorie was asking us to do, I thought, was to scout out the best tasting rotisserie chicken available. A slam dunk for me since my local Whole Foods features a free-range, vegetarian fed, all natural rotisserie chicken for $8.99. On Wednesday, it’s on sale. Save two dollars. Cluck. Cluck.
“Life is the art of drawing sufficient conclusions from insufficient premises.” Samuel Butler
“Still,” Dorie continued, “I’ve never met a French cook who can’t roast a chicken.”
This time Mr. Butler got it wrong. Not only were we going to roast our own chicken this week, Dorie had decided the best method and the one we would use was concocted by France’s greatest living chef, Joël Robuchon. My last encounter with Chef Robuchon was in February when I sat at the counter of his dazzling Las Vegas diner, L’Atelier. Since that evening of fine dining cost me $473.48, I knew I could wave au revoir to the $6.99 WF’s roast chicken. (Yes, I am currently hyperventilating again as I write this paragraph.)
My last encounter with Joël Robochon, France’s greatest living chef …………
However, a chubby roast chicken provided a perfect meals-with-protein schedule for this busy Halloween week, one that included baking two more Marie-Hélène Apple Cakes for dinners with friends and a double batch of This Skinny Chick Can Bake’s White Chocolate Monster Munch for all the ghouls, goblins and ghosts who work here at The Gant. (Thank you, Liz Berg.)
A delicious way to end a lovely dinner – with Marie Hélène’s Apple Cake
White Chocolate Monster Munch – (in the spirit of full disclosure, this snack is very additive)
Halloween means doubling down on the White Chocolate Monster Munch snack recipe for the staff at The Gant (where I live).
The trick to a remarkably moist chick, according to Dorie, is to put it through some, well, let’s call ’em yoga positions during its 60 minutes, 450 degree roasting period. While, admittedly, there are indignities done to the chicken throughout this process, remember that this bird is not alive to realize it. It’s suffering has already happened.
Yoga Position One – Warrior Pose
First, lay the chicken on its side for 25 minutes. Then, turn the bird over on its other side for another 25 minutes. For the final 10 minutes, flip it on its back to roast breast side up. Now are you ready for the headstand? Transfer the chicken breast side down to the platter and lift the chicken’s tail in the air! Cover with foil and let the exhausted bird stand on its head (so to speak) for another 10 minutes.
Yoga Position Three – Modified Corpse Pose
Yoga Position Four – Downward Facing Dog
The result, my friends, is a superb, delicious and remarkably moist roast chicken. For added flavor, all I did prior to roasting was to shake some salt, pepper and Pensey’s Ruth Ann’s Muskego Ave. Chicken & Fish Seasoning on the little guy. I also slipped some garlic butter and thyme leaves under the skin, pressing and pushing gently to coat the breast meat. Here’s the recipe.
“Namaste.”
French Fridays with Dorie, is an international cooking group working its way through Dorie Greenspan’s latest cookbook “Around My French Table”. If you would like to see how my colleagues roasted their chickens this week, go to our FFWD link.
Oh, my gosh, I almost spit out my tea checking out your chicken in downward dog…my bird needed some adjustments on her form! And had to gasp at that dinner bill…but I bet it was all mighty tasty. Deep breaths…yoga breathing….
PS…your chicken looks superb and so glad you all enjoyed the Monster Munch 🙂
Yes, that bill is worth a “gasp” but the back story is wonderful. After Michael died and I made the decision to return home to Aspen, my long-time Las Vegas friend and Realtor told me she would get our house sold in two months. She’s a foodie and I told her if she sealed the deal, we would go to Robuchon’s “L’Atelier to celebrate. Two months to the day, I signed the final papers and I made our reservation. It was a night of JOY. Do you see those two bottles of wine? First, we made friends with everyone sitting at the counter. (Does that surprise you?) Then we toasted Michael, my Nevada friends, my return home to Aspen and the Light at the End of the Tunnel. Heck, I’m sure we even toasted the Doristas a time or two. A night to remember and that’s why I saved the bill. (I already know daughter Melissa had a heart attack when she read this Post.)
agree the bill and the menu might be cause for a heart attack. I am just a little concerned about splitting our food costs on the ETC trip.
But it must have been amazing.
Good for you and thanks for sharing your Aspen move & L’Atelier story — I did notice the nice wines in the picture of your receipt! Well done, girl.
Your post cracked me up — your chicken looks marvy in the warrior (what a plump and nicely trussed little birdie!) and other poses. Namaste.
LOL at yoga chicken! I felt a wee bit sorry for mine resting on its head! Would you make this one again though? I found it fussy and messy (compared to my usual way of roasting which produced just as good a result)…. Your menu looks wonderful – so much fun!
Let me tell you living at The Gant is good for you, your writing is getting wittier and you seem to be enjoying yourself so much Mary! That yoga chicken cracked me up! But I agree rotisserie chicken is so good. I can buy a great one just by crossing the street, literally, so roasting one at home never gets crossed off the list! PS. I think that every single day I say to myself I will write you an email and chat a bit… will get there eventually! 🙂
I have you slotted for a long e-mail from me this week-end. So, be aware……..
well I love the yoga poses! I didnt get to this one this week, perhaps next week! good job!
Your chicken looks great!
One of the things I love about you is your joie de vivre! I’m glad you enjoy the occasional splurge – this is something I learned from John. I’m sure your friends loved the chicken, but I would have loved listening to you explain how you made it!
I make something very similar to Liz’s Monster Mash for Christmas – I’ll have to remember to post about it this year. You’re right – it’s totally addictive.
Thanks for being SO supportive of my work. I count you among my mentors! xoxoxo
No, you can’t because I count you as one of my mentors. xoxoxo Glad that John realizes it’s a mutual admiration society.
I’m sitting on the sofa next to my husband and he’s wondering why I’m giggling at my computer:-) Looks like all that yoga paid off for your little birdie.
I am in awe of how plump your bird is – and that it only cost $8.99!
I am lol at your yoga chicken! It really did come out perfect, Mary…and looks like it was enjoyed by all your friends. And such a wonderful dessert…I love that apple cake!
I would have needed oxygen if they brought me that bill, but when I read your back story it seems it was well worth the splurge!! We all need a splurge from time to time! Have a great weekend and stay warm!
L’Atelier is one of my all time favorite places – I’m wanderlusting just looking at your post and receipt…Where will you be this winter in Cali? If anywhere in SoCal – maybe we can meet up…On the Poulet Bleu, I have to admit that having a chicken with head, eyes, beak and legs with claws was a little freaky. The first one had a bad “knee job” if you know what I mean, the neck job was slightly better – by the time I got to the second bird I was becoming a pro at “capping” which kind of scared sous chef a tad 😉 (just kidding – but he wasn’t volunteering to do the dirty work!). If you want Joel’s technique let me know and I can send to you –
Gasp! at the bill for two!
Love your skillet (hope I get my hands on one or two or three soon!) and that yoga #4 is to die for!
Mary, I think I like your description of how the bird was roasted better than any I’ve read. Yoga, that’s great! Your bird looks delicious despite the crazy process.
Wow, that is one flexible chicken. Ummm, I was available for dinner out the night you went to l’atelier.
Dear Mary, what a lovely description of the cooking process – I should tell the girls that you call this a “yoga chicken” – on second thought, maybe I shouldn´t because I can already hear Gretchen and Imken laugh their heads off any time I will serve a roast chicken in the future…but it is indeed a pretty funny way to describe this cooking process. Love all your pictures – including the delicious treat for the staff at The Gant! Hopefully you got the “Thank You” mail from the girls for the wonderful Halloween card!
All the best from Bonn and have a fabulous weekend!
Andrea
I have a rule when it comes to those dinners… “una vez al año no hace daño” – no harm if it’s a once a year thing. That doesn’t completely cancel out the sticker price shock, but the memories and inspiration for future meals is worth it.
Your chicken asanas cracked me up. And the smiles from the staff at The Gant couldn’t be lovelier. What a great community to be part of!
What a great post! Awesome pictures. I’m a huge fan of that seasoning blend too – my go-to. Heck, it probably was what I used! Everything you made looks fabulous! I don’t know how many of those apple cakes I’ve baked – and look at all those smiles!!!
Oh, and I can see the monster munch in my future with all the family around – so thanks for the link! Geez, so much in one little post! Fabulous! Thanks! Have a wonderful day!!
Priceless post. You had me giggling from the start with your thoughts on ready made chicken because the whole time my little guy did his “yoga” I was mentally comparing this to what I could buy at Whole Foods. Or gasp, even Costco. The undressed organic chicken at Costco cost over $15 EACH…which I chose not to mention to hubby for fear of altering an objective taste tester’s review for Friday. And while I was also sticker shocked with the Vegas bill, the back story changed my opinion significantly. Selling your place that quickly warranted not only an amazing celebration, but that was a tiny price to pay for great results on an important transaction. It also does not surprise me that you two made friends with everyone there. You would have done so without any wine and even if it were a pizzeria- you are an amazing and fun person that everyone wants to hang out with !!! Also, I was hysterical when I read your comment about my poor bird wearing “pasties”. I started following “The Martha” years ago with stuffing such aesthetics under the skin and at first….did not even realize what you meant. I laughed heartily when it dawned on me and no matter how good the kitchen smelled and how nice the flavor is…I don’t think I will be able to do that to a chicken with a straight face again 🙂 Too funny.
Mary, What a meal of a lifetime! Sounds like a wonderful celebration to remember. I love the photos of your acrobatic chicken. I agree with your assessment, so wonderfully moist, yet not really worth the effort the next time. I love when you include the photos of your friends and the staff at the Gant that you share your kitchen adventures with. Everyone always looks to be having a great time together. That makes me smile! Hope you have a great week!
Oh, Miss Mary – where does one even begin? Atrocities to yoga chicken? Bank busting meals? (My stomach clenches after seeing that receipt)
Your post put a smile on my face.
I love your comparison of the chicken’s positions to yoga poses. I laughed out loud. I also think that the apple cake is a perfect finisher for your lovely meal.