Roast Chicken with Potatoes and Leeks
Cooked in a cast-iron skillet, this Roast Chicken with Potatoes and Leeks couldn’t be simpler! Rustic and still elegant enough for a dinner party, this recipe screams French country cooking at its best.
Brushed with a whole-grain mustard, brown sugar sauce, and set over a bed of leeks, lemon, garlic and white wine, the simplicity of this dish belies the complex flavors that come together beautifully. Add some roasted potatoes and you have a lovely one-skillet dinner.
Begin by stirring together the whole-grain mustard, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar and minced garlic.
Arrange the leeks and sliced garlic on the bottom of a large cast-iron skillet or braiser. Drizzle with some olive oil and then add the lemon slices on top of that, followed by the white wine.
Sprinkle the chicken with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Then, brush the sauce all over (I actually use my clean hands, but you do you!). Set the chicken over the lemons.
Toss the potatoes with olive oil and salt and then arrange around the chicken.
Roast the chicken for 15 minutes per pound. I like to use an instant-read thermometer to confirm that the timing is correct. It should read 165°F in the thickest part of the thigh and breast.
Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let it sit for 10 minutes before carving.
Stir the tarragon and cold butter into the leeks and potatoes until the butter is melted.
Serve the chicken drizzled with the pan sauce.
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Roast Chicken with Potatoes and Leeks
Makes: 6 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour & 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour & 45 minutes
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp whole-grain mustard
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tsp brown sugar
- 6 cloves garlic, 2 cloves minced and 4 cloves thinly sliced
- 1 (4-to 5-pound) whole chicken
- 1 tbsp plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper, plus more for serving
- 3 large leeks, trimmed and thinly sliced (about 3 cups)
- 2 lemons, thinly sliced
- 1 cup white wine
- 1 pound smallish new potatoes or petite gold
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon, plus more for serving
- 4 tbsp salted butter, cold
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375°F with a rack in the center position.
In a small bowl, stir together the whole-grain mustard, 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, and minced garlic. Sprinkle the chicken all over with the salt and pepper. Rub the chicken all over with the mustard mixture.
Arrange the leeks and sliced garlic in the bottom of a large cast-iron skillet or braiser. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, top with the lemon slices, and pour in the wine. Set the chicken, breast side up, on top of the bed of leeks and lemons. If desired, tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken.
In a large bowl, toss the potatoes with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil and remaining 1 teaspoon of salt. Arrange the potatoes around the chicken.
Roast the chicken for 15 minutes per pound. Begin checking for doneness when 20 minutes remain (see Note). Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes before carving.
Stir the tarragon and cold butter into the leeks and potatoes until the butter is melted. Serve the chicken drizzled with the pan sauce.
Chef’s Notes:
As a good rule of thumb, chickens roast at 375°F for 15 minutes per pound. If your bird is bigger or smaller than what a recipe calls for, you can just do the math! A chicken is always done cooking when the internal temperature taken at the thickest part of the thigh and breast reaches 165°F on an instant-read thermometer, and the juices run clear.
Recipe by The Modern Proper
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