Dutch Oven Chicken and Vinaigrette

For many years, our Sunday "family dinner" has centered on a dish similar to this -- the "roast chicken with lemon" recipe from Marcella Hazan's Italian cookbook. Here the cavity is stuffed with a whole lemon and closed, after the lemon rind has been pricked with small holes to let the lemony steam saturate the chicken from the inside. I frequently add a selection of root vegetables around the bird, set on a rack in an open roasting pan, and make a delicious sauce with white wine and lemon.

This is a wonderful, classic French recipe which I have made many times. No dish is great without great ingredients. In this case it's the chicken. I'll bet you anything that Ms. Greenspan either went to her favorite butcher or farmer's market stall to buy the best bird that she could find.

I think this sounds amazing. My family does best with chicken parts - and I have a gorgeous Le Creuset 5 quart brasier that will accommodate the pieces and the aromatics. Has anyone done this? I think my only concern would be whether the garlic will soften enough in the time it takes to cook the pieces (which if they have their way will be boneless, skin on thighs and bone-in skin-on breasts (which cook in similar time). Thoughts?

I remember this from my school days in France. Somehow, the school kitchen managed to make this marvelous dish for many, many girls at once, slightly differently every time. Making use of the best of a season is the hallmark of all fine cooking. Thank you, Ms. Greenspan.

I have prepared this dish and it's an excellent way to half roast/braise a bird. However, I think the temperature of 450 is a mistake. That is far too high and long. 350 for 1.5 hours is about perfect and, on a 4lb bird, should yield an internal temp of about 150-155.

Buy a nice bottle of wine and use what you need. Freeze the reminder in ice cube trays and pop them into a freezer bag when frozen Use whenever you need.

Final step: After you've eaten your fill of the main dish, throw the carcass/bones and leftover pan scrapings and juices into a stock pot and bring it to a slow simmer. Makes a great simple chicken broth.

I have made a version of this recipe (minus the 1/4cup olive oil) in a Romertopf clay casserole pot that I have used for 35 years! Best chicken ever - moist and full of flavor, plus lots of juices from the chicken that are terrific over rice, potatoes, or pasta. Just remember to soak the clay pot for about 20 minutes before putting in the chicken, wine, and seasonings. Put the pot in a cold oven and turn to 425 degrees for 60-80 min.

Just cooked it today - I bought the best organic chicken available (Rocky or Mary's) and it does make a difference, tender and juicy, with great flavor. I used French Dijon mustard and walnut oil instead of EVOO, and Meyer lemons, salad greens (including sorrel) and herbs from my garden. This is definitely a keeper! Too bad I could not have made this for a dinner party - where I live we have quite a problem with Delta Plus. Thank you for this wonderful recipe.

Has anyone tried this yet with chicken parts, say thighs only?

A hit. In addition to the onions, added a base of large chunks of yukon golds, carrots, and halved crimini mushrooms that all desperately needed using. To ensure enough pan drippings, upped the wine a bit and used both halves of a juicy deseeded lemon. The vinaigrette is fantastic! Per personal preference, I tweaked it to be heavier on the drippings, garlic, and mustard, but it was still excellent as written. Omitted the walnut oil because with the extra drippings it was plenty rich.

If available, try a Bell and Evans chicken. They’re closest to a real butcher shop chicken

I've made versions of this before, and it's great. But the first time I made this my husband thought the skin was too flabby and pale, and we don't have a broiler. The next time I made it I put it in the 450 degree oven with the lid off for 15 minutes to get the breast skin to brown a little, then put on the lid for the rest of the cooking time. It came out perfect, with the breast skin lightly golden. Just add a little more wine to compensate for the time it is uncovered at that high heat.

Seeking recommendations for decent quality wines sold in small quantities. My husband loves wine sauces but doesn't drink so I frequently waste over half a bottle when a recipe calls for a cup of wine or less. I tempted edibility by using an airplane sized bottle of Sutter Home Sauvignon Blanc for this, and luckily it still worked out wonderfully, but I'd love to have better options in the future! Appreciate any suggestions.

So simple and so delicious. We have made this many times since seeing it in Around My French Table. It never fails to please guests. I add vegetables to the pot ( carrots, potatoes, etc.) and the meal is complete.