French Friday with Dorie: Roast Chicken for Les Paresseux

This week I prepared Roast Chicken for Les Paresseux for French Fridays with Dorie. Les Paresseux means for lazy people, so I knew I would like this recipe because you could stick it in the oven and forget about it for awhile. I really didn't expect a lot - honestly, I thought it would be just another roast chicken. But, I couldn't have been more mistaken.

I cut a French demi baguette in half and placed it in the bottom of my dutch oven which served as a roasting 'rack' for the chicken. You put the liver in the cavity along with some sprigs of rosemary, thyme and oregano. The liver, along with the bread, is a little surprise when the chicken is done. I also tucked a few sage leaves under the skin after seeing this on Beth's blog, the screen porch. I thought her chicken looked so pretty with the sage leaves.

It was one of those rare times when I had the dinner timed almost perfectly for my husband's arrival home. When he walked into the dining room, he said that the chicken looked like it was from a magazine. That just made me feel wonderful. I served a Napa Chardonnay with the meal because I used two tablespoons of it on the chicken, along with the two tablespoons of olive oil.

And let me tell you, in all the years that I have cooked for my husband and family he has never gone on and on about a meal like he did this roasted chicken. The meat was juicy and succulent and infused with the herbs. The roasted vegetables were perfectly cooked. My husband said this would make a perfect Thanksgiving meal. Who would have thought that a simple, humble, chicken - okay - simple, humble French chicken recipe could elicit such a response?

Oh, and the liver baguette surprise? It was AMAZING. Crispy, but a little soggy in places, it picked up all the flavors of the roasted chicken and vegetables. There were two slices, so we each had one to nibble on throughout dinner. The best part though, for me, was watching the bliss on my husband's face as he ate every last morsel on his plate. He truly enjoyed this meal. It just made my heart sing. Thank you for that, Dorie Greenspan.

Next French Friday: Pumpkin-Gorgonzola Flans