Roasted Chicken with Mushrooms

Melissa Clark did a terrific job of focusing on pantry recipes early on in the pandemic when there was a brief interruption in the food supply so that it was really hard to get many things, including flour, sugar, and yeast.  The down side is that my Food 52 cookbook group did her new cookbook, Dining in French, in April, and well, we just could not get in to it.  First of all it was crazy at work (we are both in health care) and we were not all that motivated to eat luscious French style food.  So now, in the fall with the weather changing, now we are ready.

• 1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh tarragon leaves, plus 4 large sprigs

• 1 3/4 teaspoons fine sea salt, plus more as needed

• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

• 1 whole (3 1/2- to 4-pound) chicken, patted dry with paper towels

• 6 sprigs fresh thyme

• 8 ounces mixed mushrooms (any kinds you like), sliced 1/4 inch thick

• 1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves

  Dinner in French by Melissa Clark

Directions

1. In a small bowl, mix together the chopped tarragon, salt, pepper, and lemon zest. Use this salt mixture to season the chicken inside and out. Refrigerate the chicken, uncovered, for 1 hour.

2. Heat the oven to 450°F.

3. Place the chicken, breast-side up, in a roasting pan or on a rimmed baking sheet. Stuff the cavity of the chicken with the tarragon and thyme sprigs. Roast for 30 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, toss together the mushrooms, oil, and a large pinch of salt.

5. After 30 minutes, baste the chicken with the pan juices, or drizzle it with a little olive oil if the pan is dry, and scatter the mushrooms around the chicken in the pan. Continue roasting until the chicken’s juices run clear when the skin is pierced with a knife, 20 to 30 minutes more, tossing the mushrooms after 10 minutes.

6. When the chicken is done, transfer it to a cutting board and tent it with foil to keep it warm, leaving the mushrooms in the pan. Let the chicken stand for 10 minutes before carving. 

7. Add the butter and parsley to the mushrooms in the roasting pan and toss to melt the butter. Serve the chicken with the buttery mushrooms on top.

Thinking Ahead

Chicken: You can marinate the chicken, uncovered, in the fridge for up to 24 hours.

Mushrooms: You can slice the mushrooms up to 24 hours ahead and store them in a sealed plastic bag in the fridge.