Garlic & Truffle Oil Herb Roasted Chicken

For such an easy recipe, this Garlic & Truffle Oil Herb Roasted Chicken is beyond delicious. I would be very proud to serve this to company, but it’s also the perfect simple weeknight meal. As someone I love once said, “I want to take a bath in that sauce!” Never has food photography been so torturous as it was today, ha! It took everything out of me not to put the camera down and devour this chicken with honey gold potatoes and button mushrooms. I may or may not have had a spoonful or two of the pan juices while I worked. YUM. 🙂

On Saturday October 1st at 10pm ET/PT Ovation is premiering their new historical drama Versailles. The network asked me to prepare a recipe inspired by the show! (Pretty cool job if you ask me 🙂 )

At 28, King Louis XIV of France commissions Versailles, the most beautiful palace in Europe, which serves as the King’s gilded prison – keeping his friends close and enemies closer. Enter a world of untold wealth, power, and passion. Where love and lust are just a heartbeat away from deceit and betrayal. Experience Versailles in all its brutal glory. Only on Ovation.

This chicken dish is something that I can picture King Louis XIV eating after one of his famous hunting parties. The very concept of French cuisine was invented in the time of Louis and was encouraged heartily by the king. Chicken was a favorite of his (I included this truffle oil for a little extravagance), while potatoes were an exciting new food from the Americas.

Bon appétit!

Garlic & Truffle Oil Herb Roasted Chicken

Brine Ingredients:
3 cups water
1/4 cup coarse salt
2 tablespoons coconut sugar
3 sprigs fresh rosemary
3 springs fresh thyme
2 cloves garlic, smashed with the side of a knife
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns

Roasting Ingredients:
1 teaspoon fine chopped fresh rosemary, divided
1 teaspoon fine chopped fresh thyme, divided
sea salt and pepper to season
1 tablespoon truffle oil
1 whole chicken, about 4 pounds
about 2 pounds honey gold potatoes, cut in half
6 ounces button mushrooms
5 cloves garlic
1/2 cup chicken stock

Note: Don’t let the brining intimidate you. It really doesn’t add much time to the prepping (maybe 10 minutes), it’s only a matter of planning ahead is all 🙂 And the end result is so worth the extra attention!

1. Bring the water for the brine to a boil. Turn off the heat, add the rest of the brine ingredients, cover, and let sit for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and let the brine come to room temperature. Add the brine to the uncooked chicken (I use a large mixing bowl or large steel pot) and refrigerate for 8 to 24 hours, breast side down.
2. Set the oven to 425F and lightly grease a 7-quart French Oven. Set the dish aside. Remove the chicken from the brine, rinse well, then place on a cutting board.
3. In a tiny ramekin combine 1/2 teaspoon of rosemary, 1/2 teaspoon of thyme, a big pinch of sea salt and pepper, and the truffle oil.
4. Carefully make a pocket for the herb truffle oil by sliding your fingers between the skin and the breast on each side, trying not to tear the skin. Stand the chicken on one end and pour the herb truffle oil evenly down each pocket. Massage to distribute evenly. Tie the drumsticks together and tuck the wings under.
5. Add a single layer of the halved potatoes to the bottom of the French oven then lay the prepared chicken on top. Fill the space around the chicken with the rest of the potatoes, mushrooms, and garlic. Pour the chicken stock over the vegetables then season the vegetables with sea salt, pepper, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of rosemary, and 1/2 teaspoon of thyme.
6. Cover and bake for 1 hour, then remove the lid and continue baking for 30 minutes longer, or until you reach an internal temperature of 170F. Broil the top if needed to brown further.
7. Let the chicken rest for 15 minutes before carving. Enjoy with the pan juices spooned over!

♥, Kelly

Disclosure: I am partnering with Ovation on this post for their new show Versailles.