Would you like to save this recipe?
French Roast Chicken with Chestnuts
French roast chicken with chestnuts recipe with juicy chicken, buttery chestnuts, mushrooms and potatoes. All roasted together in one pot, so the flavors mingle into the most delicious pan juices. Add a touch of white wine or cider and a bit of cream and you have the best sauce ever.
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 3 - 5 lb whole chicken 1.4–2.2 kg, preferably a free range chicken
- 2 cups cooked and peeled chestnuts 300 - 400 grams
- 12 0z small mushrooms (350 grams) button or chestnut mushrooms, cleaned
- 5-6 large potatoes
- 1 small onion peeled and quartered
- small bunch fresh thyme or 2 tsp dried
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 garlic cloves lightly crushed
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter 60 grams
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- Salt & freshly ground black pepper
- Fresh parsley or thyme sprigs for plating
For the pan sauce (optional but recommended):
- 1 cup chicken stock 250 ml
- 1/2 cup dry white wine 125 ml or Normandy cider for a more regional touch or use extra chicken stock
- 1/2 cup double cream 125 ml or heavy cream
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
To roast the chicken
- Bring the chicken out of the refrigerator about 30 minutes before you start prepping so that it is at room temperature and pat it dry.
- Preheat oven to 450°F (220°C) conventional oven or 430°F (200°C) fan forced.
- Prepare the seasonings: Peel the onion and cut it into quarters. Peel the garlic cloves. Wash the thyme leaves and mix some with the olive oil.
- Prepare the stuffing: Rinse the whole chestnuts and place in a bowl with the onion, garlic, butter, oil, salt and pepper. Give it a little stir.
- Rub butter, oil, thyme, salt and pepper all over the inside and outside of the chicken. You can also add some of this mixture under the breast skin. Just lift the skin that is above the breast gently with a spoon or your fingers and add a bit. It will make your breast meat juicier and more flavorful. But if you don't have time, it's fine. The roast chicken will still taste amazing. Also, lightly butter the roasting pan.
- Put the stuffing into the cavity of the chicken.
- Place the chicken breast-side up directly in the roasting dish and put the chicken in the preheated oven.
- Peel the potatoes and cut them in half or in quarters if they are larger. If they are smaller, you can just leave them whole.
- Drizzle a bit of olive oil over the remaining chestnuts and give them a little stir to coat them evenly.
- After the chicken has roasted in the oven for 15 minutes, lower the oven temperature to 350°F (180°C) conventional oven or 325°F (170°C) fan forced scatter the potatoes and mushrooms around the chicken and drizzle a little olive oil over it all.
- Every 30 minutes or so, baste the chicken and move the vegetables around a bit, so that they coat with the roasting liquid of the chicken and roast evenly. You can also place the chicken on top of the vegetables and have them roast underneath. Make sure you coat the chestnuts with the chicken juices and oil, otherwise they can dry out. (Note: if your chestnuts seem a bit delicate, you can just add the remaining chestnuts about 15 minutes before the chicken is done - see note below).
- Rough general rule: Roast chicken at 450°F (220°C) in a conventional oven or 430°F (200°C)°C in a fan-forced oven for 15 minutes. Then reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (180°C) and roast for 20 more minutes for every one pound/500grams. See notes for more details.
- A 4-pound (1.8 kg) chicken will be done in about 1 hour 35 minutes (total time, including the first 15 minutes at a higher temp). To check to see if the chicken is done, place a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the chicken and the temperature should measure 165°F (74°C). If you pierce the chicken in the thickest part, the juices should run clear and not pink.
- You should also check the temperature of the stuffing, which should also reach a temperature of 165°F (74°C).
- Rest the chicken, without removing the stuffing, for 20 minutes after you take it out of the oven.
To make the sauce for the French roast chicken
- Remove the chicken and vegetables from the roasting pan and leave the juices and the brown bits.
- Pour these juices in a heat proof bowl and skim off the excess fat with a spoon. (You can also do this in a small pot, but I find it easier to see what I am dealing with in a clear glass bowl).
- Deglaze the roasting pan with the cider, wine or chicken stock. "Deglaze" means you use the cider or wine to rinse out the roasting pan. Gently scrape the bottom and sides of the roasting dish to get all the lovely bits and pour it all in a small pot with the juices in the bowl.
- Add the extra chicken stock and bring to a boil and then simmer for about 3 - 5 minutes. This reduces the liquid and intensifies the flavor.
- Turn off the heat and add cream, salt and pepper and some parsley. Your sauce is done! Serve the sauce on the side.
Notes
When should I add the chestnuts?
The chestnuts inside the cavity of the chicken are added right at the start. Chestnuts that are in a can or vacuum-packed are pre-cooked, so they do not actually need to be cooked. They only need to be warmed. So for the chestnuts that are scattered around the chicken, you have a few options.- Coat them in oil and butter along with the potatoes and mushrooms and add them when you add the potatoes and mushrooms. In this case, you do need to keep a close eye on the chestnuts and baste them with oil and juices every 20-30 minutes.
- Add the chestnuts, coated in oil and butter, about 20 minutes before your chicken is done.
- Keep the extra chestnuts out of the oven altogether and heat them up in the sauce. They will be a bit softer, but you won't have to worry about drying them out.
When is the French roast chicken with chestnuts done?
- The chicken is done when you place a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the chicken and the temperature should measure 165°F (74°C).
- You should also check the temperature of the stuffing, which should also reach a temperature of 165°F (74°C).
- Rest the chicken, without removing the stuffing, for 20 minutes after you take it out of the oven.
- 3 lb/1.4 kg chicken: Roast 1 hr 15 – 20 min total time
- 4 lb/1.8 kg chicken: Roast 1 hr 35 – 40 min total time
- 5lb/2.2 kg chicken: Roast 1 hr 55 min - 2 hrs total time
Storage
- Store the French roast chicken with chestnuts, potatoes and mushrooms in the fridge in an airtight container for 2-3 days.
- Store the sauce separately.
- Do not freeze.
Nutrition
Serving: 1gCalories: 570kcalCarbohydrates: 65gProtein: 7gFat: 31gSaturated Fat: 13gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 52mgSodium: 118mgPotassium: 1384mgFiber: 4gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 663IUVitamin C: 44mgCalcium: 62mgIron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!