Roasted Chicken with Dijon Herb Butter

Who doesn’t love a perfectly roasted chicken, with juicy flavorful meat and crispy skin? One of the simplest and most delicious dinners, a roasted chicken sure is a crowd-pleaser. Now add slabs of tangy Dijon herb butter to the mix, and you’ll have yourself an unforgettable meal.

The book

This recipe is from Let Me Feed You: Everyday Recipes Offering the Comfort of Home, the latest cookbook by Rosie Daykin (bestselling author of Butter Baked Goods and Butter Celebrates!). This beautiful cookbook offers 100 delicious recipes (for every course) to feed the people you love. While many cookbooks nowadays delve into niche concepts (ie. a specific diet, ingredient or region), this one invites us to get back to basics, with fool-proof and timeless recipes – something I find very comforting. With staple recipes such as this incredible roasted chicken, but also croissants (yes, you know how much I love croissants), scones, biscuits, quiche, chicken pie, lasagna, fluffy potato mash, potato salad, etc… this new book is must-have on-hand when preparing to host and/or feeding a crowd – be it intimate or a gathering.

The recipe

Of course, a roasted chicken is a must for hosting a Sunday lunch in France, and I was very excited to try out Rosie Daykin’s recipe which includes an interesting twist: Dijon herb butter. This homemade compound butter of dried herbs, lemon zest and grainy mustard gets snuck under the skin of the chicken before roasting and on top of the chicken (to melt) after roasting. Verdict: the butter brings this simple roasted chicken recipe over the top. It beautifies it perfectly with herby, zesty flavours and I could totally see it on top of a salmon fillet or a lamb chop as well.

I made this Dijon herb butter the night before to save some time the day of cooking the chicken. The butter is a breeze to make and is so fragrant with a slight tang from the lemon and the mustard. I used Maille Mustard (Old Style)– which is my favorite mustard of all. And if once wasn’t enough, the grainy Dijon mustard is also used in the making of a vinaigrette that’s tossed into arugula, to be served with the chicken.

For serving, I loved the idea of placing the roasted chicken on top of the bed of arugula. When slicing the chicken, the juices oozed over the greens– and be assured, not a single leaf was left wandering at the end of the meal.

This recipe is simple, delicious and truly a staple to keep in your repertoire. It includes notes and tips to make for a perfectly roasted chicken, which I sum up here in bullet points (adding a few of my own tips as well). Make sure you read them, and you’ll be set for feeding your guests the most delicious roasted chicken – every single time.

A few tips for this perfectly roasted chicken:

• Buy the best quality bird you can find. A locally raised and free-range one is ideal.
• Take the chicken out of the fridge at least 2 hours before you cook it. Pat the chicken dry very thoroughly, which will make for an extra-crisp skin when cooking.
• Stuff the bird with lemon quarters. This simple step ensures a juicy meat that’ll be lightly infused with the flavour of roasted lemon.  
• Get under the skin. Placing fat and herbs (ie. Dijon Herb butter) under the skin is key to infuse flavor in the meat. 
• Get on top of the skin as well. Brush the chicken with extra-virgin olive oil right before cooking.
• For the cooking time, plan on 15 to 20 minutes/lb of meat. 15 minutes will get you a properly, juicy chicken and 18-20 minutes will get you a crispier, darker skin (which is my preference). In this recipe, I used a 4lb chicken which I cooked for 1h and 20 minutes.
• Let it rest. Once cooked, let the chicken rest for at least 15 minutes. This ensures all the heat and juices get distributed evenly throughout the meat.

Roast Chicken with Dijon Herb Butter

Print Recipe

Serves: 4 people Cooking Time: 80 Minutes 80 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 4.8/5

( 10 voted )

Ingredients

For the Dijon Herb Butter: 
1/4 cup thyme leaves 
1/4 cup finely chopped rosemary 
1/4 cup finely chopped sage leaves 
1 tbsp lemon zest 
1 cup butter, at room temperature 
2 tbsp grainy Dijon mustard 

For the Chicken: 
1 (4-pound) roasting chicken
Salt and pepper
1 small lemon, quartered
2 tbsp (30ml) Extra Virgin Olive Oil 

For the dressing:
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice 
1 tbsp grainy Dijon mustard
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
1⁄4 teaspoon pepper
5 to 6 cups baby arugula, washed and dried

Instructions

Make the Dijon Herb Butter:

Place all the ingredients in a stand mixer fitter with the paddle attachment and beat on high until well combined. Place a piece of plastic piece of plastic wrap on the kitchen counter, then transfer the butter mixture on top of the wrap. Shape the butter into a log about 6 inches long x 2 inches across (, then wrap tightly in the plastic wrap. Place the log in the refrigerator and allow to chill until firm, 25 to 30 minutes, before slicing. 

(Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week wrapped in the freezer for up to 3 months). 

Make the Chicken: 

Preheat the oven to 400ºF (205ºC)

Rinse the chicken thoroughly and pat it dry all over with paper towel to remove any excess moisture; this will help ensure the bird gets a nice crispy skin when roasting. I like to allow the bird to come to room temperature before cooking.

Place the chicken in a 9× 3-inch (22.9x33cm) roasting pan and tuck the wings under the body. Generously season the inside of the cavity with salt and pepper, then place the lemon quarters inside. Gently lift the breast skin of the bird and place two rounds of the Dijon herb butter under the skin atop each breast (using four rounds of butter in total). I like to use the back side of a spoon to help me lift the skin, being careful to take my time so as to not tear it. Once the butter is in place, use some kitchen twine to tie the legs together in a simple bow. Rub the outside of the bird with the olive oil and generously season with more salt and pepper.

Place the chicken in the oven and roast for 15 to 20 minutes per pound (60 to 80 minutes for this 4-pound bird) or until the juices run clear when you make a little cut between the thigh and leg. Baste the bird with juices every 15 minutes until done.

Remove from the oven and place the last two pieces of Dijon butter atop the chicken, then tent with foil and allow to rest for about 15 minutes.

Make the dressing:

Place all the ingredients for the dressing in a small liquid measuring cup and whisk to fully combine. (I also like to use a leftover jam jar to mix salad dressings; just put everything in the jar, make sure the lid is on tight, and give it a good shake.)

Spread the arugula across a serving platter and gently toss with the dressing. Place the warm chicken atop the arugula and serve! (You can also carve the bird beforehand and place the pieces atop the arugula, but I think it’s a little more fun to carve the bird at the table, and—bonus!—the salad gets smothered in its lovely juices.)

Excerpted from Let Me Feed You: Everyday Recipes Offering the Comfort of Home by Rosie Daykin. Copyright © 2019 Rosie Daykin. Photography by Rosie Daykin and Janis Nicolay. Published by Appetite by Random House®, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved.

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Maille Mustard, Old-style