French Chicken in a Pot (America's Test Kitchen)

Roasting a whole chicken in a covered pot is a classic French technique where the meat turns out juicy, intensely flavourful, and especially tender and also creates a rich jus top serve with the chicken. This recipe is from America's Test Kitchen and was published in "Cook's Illustrated Magazine" (Jan. 2008). The cooking times in the recipe are for a 4 1/2- to 5-pound bird. A 3 1/2- to 4 1/2-pound chicken will take about an hour to cook, and a 5- to 6-pound bird will take close to 2 hours. If you choose not to serve the skin with the chicken, simply remove it before carving. The amount of jus will vary depending on the size of the chicken; season it with about 1/4 teaspoon lemon juice for every 1/4 cup.

• Ready In: 2 hrs
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 1 (4 1/2-5 lb)  whole roasting chickens, giblets removed and discarded, wings tucked under back
• 2  teaspoons kosher salt (use 1/2 the salt for a kosher chicken) or 1  teaspoon table salt (use 1/2 the salt for a kosher chicken)
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1  tablespoon olive oil
• 1  small onion, chopped medium (about 1/2 cup)
• 1  small celery rib, chopped medium (about 1/4 cup)
• 6  medium garlic cloves, peeled and trimmed
• 1  bay leaf
• 1  medium  fresh rosemary sprig (optional)
• 1⁄2-1  teaspoon lemon juice

Directions

1. Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 250 degrees. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.
2. Heat oil in large (5- to 8-quart) Dutch oven over medium heat until just smoking. Add chicken breast-side down; scatter onion, celery, garlic, bay leaf, and rosemary (if using) around chicken. Cook until breast is lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Using a wooden spoon inserted into cavity of bird, flip chicken breast-side up and cook until chicken and vegetables are well browned, 6 to 8 minutes.
3. Remove Dutch oven from heat; place large sheet of foil over pot and cover tightly with lid. Transfer pot to oven and cook until instant-read thermometer registers 160 degrees when inserted in thickest part of breast and 175 degrees in thickest part of thigh, 80 to 110 minutes.
4. Transfer chicken to carving board, tent with foil, and rest 20 minutes. Meanwhile, strain chicken juices from pot through fine-mesh strainer into fat separator, pressing on solids to extract liquid; discard solids (you should have about 3/4 cup juices). Allow liquid to settle 5 minutes, then pour into saucepan and set over low heat.
5. Carve chicken, adding any accumulated juices to saucepan. Stir lemon juice into jus to taste. Serve chicken, passing jus at table.