Oven-Roasted Butterflied Chicken with Tarragon-Mustard Sauce

I adapted this recipe from the Best Recipe, by the editors of Cook's Illustrated.


Um, so...


The marketplace on the east coast must be a lot different, and even different from thirteen years ago.


I remember the first time I walked into a Giant Supermarket-- yes, it was enormous.  Everyone wore red jackets or smocks and the bag boys still walked you to your car. But honestly?  I don't really remember the *groceries* being all that different- it wasn't like the name referred to the amount of cereal I took home.  So why does every "Best Recipe" recipe call for a three-pound roasting chicken!?


I guess in California, we like our birds a little bigger.


I mostly shop at Lucky's and Safeway; they tend to stock larger chickens.  I always dig, because even between the two of us it takes four or so days to eat a whole chicken.  The smallest I've ever been able to find is a 4lbr, so I adusted this recipe to fit a 4.27lb chicken.  I usually adjust 5 minutes up per pound when roasting a whole chicken and 3 minutes up per pound if I were to butterfly-roast.


Butterflying a chicken didn't scare me as much as hacking one up to cook in individual peices, but it's not like it brought me any sort of calm. For one thing, I wasn't sure about the shearing-factor of my kitchen scissors, and I was a little worried about my ability to succesfully tuck the legs (this fear? wasn't unfounded!)  Ultimately, I really want to try this technique a few more times because I think I can get it down with some practice. Plus-- every chicken spine gets me closer to stock!


This recipe isn't fool-proof, but I did butterfly the chicken while talking on the phone with my younger brother about some heavy shit, so it's at least easy to follow while you're mighty distracted.


Oven-Roasted Butterflied Chicken with Tarragon Mustard Pan Sauce
Served with green beans w/ shallots from Not-Thanksgiving and roasted Yukon gold potatoes

Tools:

Large sautee pan; cutting board; kitchen shears; teaspoons; measuring cups; sharp knife; whisk; ladle; oven mitts; mallet with flat side; plastic wrap.

Ingredients:
Chicken & Sauce 
2.5 teaspoons minced fresh tarragon leaves; 1.5 tablespoons minced garlic (1-3 medium cloves); salt, ground pepper; 1 tsp vegetable oil; 4-4.5 lb chicken; 1 cup stock or low-sodium canned chicken broth; 1 tbsp + 1 tsp Dijon mustard; 1 tbsp softened unsalted butter





Potatoes (not pictured)
4 medium Yukon gold potatoes, eighthed; two turns olive oil; salt, pepper; 3/4 cup chicken stock; 1/2 cup white wine-- add olive oil to sautee pan, heat until wisps of smoke appear.  Add potatoes.  toss 'em around after about 5 minutes, add stock and cover. Heat oven to 375.  Let simmer for 5 minutes, add wine, sprinkly with salt and pepper, cover, simmer for another ten minutes.  Remove lid and put into the oven @ 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until fork tender and broth has thickened and reduced by at least half.


Butterflying a chicken is no joke, but it's not the hardest thing in the world, either.  Carving a roasted chicken is much tougher.  Butchering a chicken completely to fry is harder still.  It seems that butterflying takes a sharp set of kitchen shears and a little practice, so it's perfect for a novice like me.


First, rinse the chicken. Pat it dry with paper towels.    I like to set a dishtowel in a jellyroll pan, then put the cutting board on top of that-- but prepare your work surface however makes you comfortable.  Place the towel-dried chicken on the cutting board, with the tail facing you and the breast down.  Cut on down one side with the kitchen shears.  Turn so the neck faces you and cut along the other side.  Remove the backbone.  Save for stock- it you're inclined.





Flip the chicken upside down.  Use your palm and gently pressure the chicken into a flattened state.  Make a half-inch slit about an inch away from the tail end of the breast.  Tuck the legs into the slots to make sure they sit properly, then pull out the legs.





Mix the tarragon, garlic, salt and pepper together.





Stuff the garlic tarragon mixture underneath the chicken skin.  Spread evenly, or as evenly as possible.  Tuck the legs into the slots and cover with plastic wrap.  Use the smooth face of the mallet to even out the chicken.  Make sure your rack is in the center of the oven; heat it to 500.  Rub or brush the chicken with the vegetable oil.





Transfer the chicken to a large, ovenproof sautee pan and let stand at room temperature until oven comes up to temp-- 500, remember?  Yeah, it's hot. Careful!  The tucking will protect the breast, the skin will crip and the seasonings trapped beneath the fatty skin and the meat will have a chance to bloom.  Once the oven says, "I'm READY!" put the pan inside and forget about it for forty minutes.


Meanwhile, you can make those potatoes!





So, forty minutes later- or fortyeight, depending on the size of your chicken, pull it out of the oven.  Be careful, because that pan is H O T.  Make sure the breast is about 160 and the thights are at least 170.  If they aren't, throw the whole thing back in the oven for about 5 minutes and check. Repeat until it's to temp.


Transfer the chicken to a plate to rest.  Tent it with foil.  If you're lucky, the legs won't need a cut at all-- they're just gonna fall away from the bone. Yum!  If you do need a little assistance, use the kitchen shears to clip the skin and pull the bones gently until they are removed.





Spoon the chicken fat from the pan and then top the pan on the burner at medium high heat.  When the remnants of the chicken start to crackle, add the chicken stock and scrape up the yummy bits from the pan.  





Reduce the stock by half, whisk in the Dijon mustard and swirl in the butter. Serve over the chicken and potatoes, and if complementary, the veg.





Tremendously enjoyed by all (as in, me and the nate-man); served with fresh-baked wheat bread.


And now?  Time to enjoy a slice of carrot cake made by nate!