Roast Chicken With Garlic Croutons

Submitted by EdsGirlAngie

"Simply delicious recipe that I adapted from Susan Herrmann Loomis's "French Farmhouse Cookbook", and a meal on Ed's "please make again" list. I serve this with a huge green salad loaded with tomatoes and cucumbers and top it with the warm, garlicky, chicken-roasted croutons...heaven on a plate."

 

• Ready In: 1hr 30mins
• Ingredients: 7
• Serves: 4-6

ingredients

• 9 ounces day-old French bread, cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled & cut in half
• 1 (3 1/2 lb) whole chickens
• sea salt, to taste
• black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1⁄2 lemon

directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
2. Squeeze the lemon half into the chicken cavity then generously salt and pepper cavity, sprinkle in the thyme, and place the lemon half inside.
3. Roast chicken, breast side up, at 450 degrees F in a large baking dish for about 50 minutes or until golden and almost cooked through, basting a couple of times.
4. After 50 minutes, add the bread cubes and garlic to the roasting dish and stir around in the drippings a bit; roast for another 10 to 15 minutes, until chicken drumstick is easy to move around.
5. Remove chicken from the baking dish, salt and pepper it to taste, and let it rest on a warm platter, breast side down (to allow juices to settle).
6. Stir croutons and garlic together again (mashing the garlic as little as you go) in the chicken juices/drippings, and return to the oven for another 5 or 10 minutes until they are a deep golden color and crispy.
7. Carve chicken and serve on a platter; surround with the crouton/garlic mixture and drizzle any remaining chicken juices onto the croutons.
8. Croutons are AWESOME served warm on a cool green salad!

Reviews

[Bram]

Wow, I made this tonight, and it came out extremely good. Nothing was too overpowering, and it all melded together perfectly with meat falling off the bone tenderness. I couldn't find any 3 1/2 pound chickens, so I ended up getting a 6 1/2 pound one. Also, because I can't move the racks in my oven (I live in an apartment) and I think my oven cooks a bit high anyhow, I ended up turning the heat down to 375 instead and cooking for it around about 2 hours, but it was so worth it. My picky husband loved it.

 

[sugarpea]

I served it just the way you suggested, Angie. I can't imagine any better way to use those tasty croutons and garlic.

 

[Creation In Hope]

I made this for the Summer 2006 Pick A Chef Contest. I just want to say that it was VERY GOOD!!! I made one mistake and I will put it here so others don't do it. I do not like the skin on chicken so I took all of the skin off. Don't do this it turned out a bit dry. It was still VERY GOOD!! I also cooked it when it was thawed out, I don't know if it was that or that I took the skin off, but I had no juice in the bottom of my pan. So I added a can of Chicken Broth and it turned out GREAT!! I would definatly make this again!!!

 

[Snow Pea]

I second the "heaven on a plate" description! Made exactly as stated, simplicity perfected.

 

[WFH Pam]

The chicken was tender, flavorful and juicy. I modified it slightly by spraying pan and chicken with EVOO and added rosemary to the cavity. The croutons were amazing as well, great compliment to the chicken. Simply to prepare which is always something I look for in a recipe. Perfect for a nice and quick Friday night favorite!!