Jacques Pepin Rotisserie Chicken Food

QUICK-ROASTED CHICKEN WITH MUSTARD AND GARLIC, JACQUES STYLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Rinse chicken beneath cold running water and blot dry. Using poultry shears, cut along each side of the backbone and remove it. (Save backbone with the giblets for making stock.) Jacques suggests cutting partway through both sides of the joint between the thighs and the drumsticks and also cutting the joint between the wings and the breast.
• Mix the remaining ingredients in a small bowl. Turn the chicken breast side down and slather it with half of the mixture. Place chicken in a large oven-safe skillet, skin side up and slather with the remaining mixture.
• Set the skillet over high heat and cook the chicken until it starts to brown, about 10 minutes. Transfer the skillet to the oven and, according to Jacques, continue roasting another 30 minutes. Roast until brown and internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F, which took my bird 50 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes. Cut into 8 pieces and serve.
• This can be prepared through Step 2 and refrigerated overnight.

JACQUES PEPIN'S BASIC ROAST CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Sprinkle the chicken inside and out with the salt and pepper and fold the wings akimbo to position them closer to the body. Place the chicken on its side in an oven-safe skillet, preferably cast-iron.
• Place the chicken in the skillet in the oven and cook for 20 minutes, then turn the chicken over and cook another 20 minutes. (By cooking the chicken on its sides, the juices stay in the breast and, since only the back is exposed, the chicken does not need constant basting.) Finally, turn the chicken onto its back, baste it with the cooking juices and continue to cook 10 minutes. It should be golden in color.
• When the chicken is cooked, cut it into pieces and serve, with the drippings on the side.