Simple Fines Herbes Baked Chicken

This simple Fines Herbes recipe will provide an unmistakable French aroma to your kitchen, while warming your heart and those of your guests. Bon appétit.

Prepare a plump whole chicken for baking by removing the inner parts and rinsing in cold water. Check the weight of the chicken to calculate the baking time. Drain well and pat dry.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Make the Fine Herbes Brush-On Dressing

In a small lidded jar, combine the following ingredients and shake vigorously for several minutes:

• 2 Tablespoons of extra virgin oil olive (preferably a buttery-tasting variety)
• 2 Tablespoons of fresh squeezed lemon juice (save the lemon skins)
• 2 teaspoons of French Market Spice Fine Herbes
• 1 heaping teaspoon of sea salt—using French Market Spice Fleur de Sel
• ¼ teaspoon of white pepper
• ¼ heaping teaspoon of country French prepared mustard
• 2 cloves of fresh garlic (plus 2 chopped shallots if you like)

Place the lemon skins inside the chicken cavity, plus 3 rinsed stems of fresh rosemary (about 5 inches long). Using two more cloves of fresh garlic, cut small pieces of the garlic and tuck it into the wing and legs of the chicken, plus the neck cavity.

Brush the Fine Herbes dressing on the chicken, covering it well, and repeat this step every 15-20 minutes. Bake the chicken breast side up uncovered in the 450-degree oven for only 10 minutes, then turn the heat down to 325 degrees. At this stage, fold a 15-inch rectangle of aluminum foil into a pointed “hat” and set on top of the chicken to prevent it from browning too quickly. Remove the “hat” before the final 20 minutes of baking to allow the chicken to brown. Bake until done (20 minutes per pound) or 170 degrees on a meat thermometer.

Remove from the oven. Let set for at least 10 minutes before carving.

Serve with a tossed green salad, black olives, steamed baby carrots, and crusty French bread. Use leftover chicken for a hot salad with almonds, and then use the remains to make French vegetable soup with local, seasonal vegetables.