Farmhouse Chicken

Since we started writing this cookbook, we haven’t been able to stop making this chicken. Inspired by French country cooking, it’s crispy and moist. You’ll be pleasantly surprised to see that you can make this year-round since frozen artichoke hearts are a great stand-in for fresh. If you don’t have artichokes, no worries, the star of this dish is the chicken.

NOTE: If you’d like a light sauce with this, after plating the chicken and artichoke mixture, add an additional ¼ to ½ cup chicken stock, depending on how much sauce you want, to the skillet and deglaze over low heat. Serve the sauce separately in a gravy boat.

SERVES 4 TO 5

3 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped (about 3 teaspoons)

3 tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons dry white wine

3 to 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon sriracha or Tabasco sauce (optional)

1 teaspoon fresh rosemary leaves or ½ teaspoon dried rosemary

½ teaspoon fennel seeds

1½ teaspoons kosher salt

1 (4-pound) chicken, butterflied, backbone removed (ask your butcher to do this)

10 ounces fresh baby artichokes, trimmed to tender, inner leaves halved; or defrosted frozen artichokes, drained and dried well

2 lemons, sliced ⅛ inch thick (10 to 12 slices)

½ cup pitted picholine olives, drained (optional)

¼ cup chicken stock

2 tablespoons mixed fresh chopped herbs, such as parsley, tarragon, chervil, and thyme

Preheat the oven to 450°F.

In a small bowl, combine the garlic, mustard, wine, 2 tablespoons of the oil, the balsamic vinegar, sriracha, if using, rosemary, fennel seeds, and ½ teaspoon of salt.

Heat a large, heavy, ovenproof skillet (preferably cast-iron) over high heat. Spread half the mustard mixture on the underside of the chicken. Transfer the chicken to the skillet, breast side up, and spread the remaining mustard mixture on top. Cook the chicken until the bottom begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast until the skin has browned and the chicken is cooked through (to an internal temperature of 160°F), about 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat a grill pan over high heat. In a medium bowl, combine the artichokes and lemon slices with 1 to 2 tablespoons of the oil, as needed to coat them evenly, and sprinkle with the remaining salt. Transfer the artichokes and lemon to the grill pan and cook, turning once, until grill marks are visible, 7 to 10 minutes on the first side and 5 to 7 minutes on the second.

Transfer the artichokes, lemon, and olives, if using, to the skillet with the chicken. Add the stock and roast with the chicken for 5 minutes more. Remove the skillet from the oven and allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes. Cut into 4 or 8 pieces. Transfer the chicken and artichoke mixture to a platter, sprinkle with the herbs, and serve.