PAN-ROASTED CHICKEN WITH MUSHROOMS,
SHALLOTS, AND ROSEMARY

"This is a great way to cook a whole chicken and shows off a method that I love to use, called "pan-roasting." Pan-roasting is a great method because you start the chicken on the stovetop to get the skin crisp, and then just put the whole pan in the oven and let the oven do the hard part. Using a quartered rather than a whole chicken saves cooking time."

1 chicken (about 3 pounds), quartered
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
20 fresh white mushrooms, halved
8 medium shallots, unpeeled, split in half
4 fresh rosemary sprigs
1 cup water
Juice of 1 lemon

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Season the chicken on both sides with a generous amount of salt and pepper.

Put 2 large cast-iron or regular ovenproof skillets on the stove over medium heat and get them good and hot.

Drizzle each pan with a 2-count of oil and lay the chicken in the hot fat, 1/2 chicken per pan, skin side down. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until the skin begins to set and crisp.

Divide the mushrooms, shallots, and rosemary between the pans.

Stick both pans in the hot oven and roast for about 30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked and the mushrooms and shallots are soft and roasted.

Take the pans out of the oven.

To finish up, make a quick sauce using the flavors left in the bottoms of the skillets. Take all the stuff out of the pans and arrange on 4 dinner plates or a platter to keep warm while you're preparing the pan sauce.

Pour out all but 1 tablespoon of the rendered chicken fat in each pan (if there is that much) and return the skillets to the stovetop. (If you have got a lot of juices, boil the juices down until all you have left is fat and pan drippings; then pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat, if there is that much.)

Stir 1/2 cup water and the juice of 1/2 lemon into each pan and cook over medium heat, scraping up the flavors with a wooden spoon. Cook the liquid down to a syrup, 3 to 5 minutes.

Drizzle the pan sauce over the chicken and vegetables, season with salt and pepper, and serve immediately.

Servings: 4
Source: Eat This Book: Cooking with Global Fresh Flavors by Tyler Florence