Hearty helpings of these whole-bird recipes attract a crowd for Sunday dinner

My daughters come from a long line of folks who adore good food. With them, the enjoyment of a well-orchestrated meal is almost a religion. That was especially true on Sundays during their childhoods, when we gathered to enjoy roast chicken.

When I married into their father’s French family, my mother-in-law, Francoise, instructed me on many of the finer points of French cuisine and culture. She knew I had a keen interest in cooking, so I was a very willing pupil at the ripe old age of 20.

Francoise explained the nuances of a superb Onion Soup Gratinee, implying that it could cure anything from a stomachache to melancholia. But of utmost importance was the traditional Sunday chicken dinner.

“Hundreds of years ago, King Henry IV of France (a royal with the best of intentions, who attempted to improve the life of the French peasants, dah, dah, dah) proclaimed that everyone would eat chicken on Sundays. So it is traditional for many French people to eat chicken on Sunday,” she explained.

As a result, I figure Christy and Alexis have consumed a minimum of 1,000 French-style chicken dinners in their lifetimes. The humble fowl with its juicy meat tucked under crisp, browned skin never failed to please. Its luscious scent permeated our house with promise.

It remains one of my favorite comfort foods, too. So when I saw the book “A Bird in the Oven and Then Some” by Mindy Fox (Kyle, $24.95), I was overjoyed.

“The book offers different ways of looking at roast chicken,” Fox said during a telephone chicken chat. “It’s a dish that is iconic and easy to make, but still impressive. I think part of the reason it is impressive is that we generally don’t cook a lot of things whole, such as whole fish or whole chicken.

“It’s a classic, beautiful thing to do. Somehow (for most Americans) everything got broken down to make it more convenient. Chicken breasts. Chicken thighs. Boneless. Skinless. They are a stripped down, boring version of chicken that people eat because it is perceived as calorically savvy.”

She said no other animal protein is as adaptable to so many variations. The book offers 20 ways to roast the perfect chicken, including one bird stuffed under the skin with a mixture of green olives, whole fennel seeds, garlic and fresh thyme. And there’s a Peruvian version kicked up with vinegar, white wine, paprika and cumin. It’s served with a tasty avocado salad. Delicious.

And she said that perhaps most importantly, it is also economical. Not only does it provide the centerpiece for a delicious meal, but the bones and leftover meat provide future meals.

“You can easily roast two instead of one, then have leftover meat to chop or shred to make other dishes,” she said. “Plus, never throw away the bones. Freeze them to make a batch of broth.”

She also includes recipes that incorporate cooked chicken in her book, such as a divine version of Avgolemono, the Greek soup that showcases chicken, broth and rice spiked with lemon juice.

And not to forget our family favorite, her version of a traditional French Sunday dinner entrée: chicken roasted with lemon butter and potatoes.

Here are the recipes. 

ROAST CHICKEN WITH BASIL, LEMON BUTTER AND POTATOES

Yield: 4 large servings

1 (4-pound) whole chicken

1 cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

2 lemons

5 garlic cloves, very thinly sliced

2 green onions, very thinly sliced

Coarse sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 1/4 pounds small to medium potatoes (about 1 1/2-inches in diameter), such as Yukon Golds (quartered lengthwise) or fingerlings (halved lengthwise)

 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

About 1/2 good-size bunch Italian parsley, stems trimmed to 1 inch (1 1/2 packed cups)

Cook’s notes: I love Fox’s recipe, but turning the bird can be perceived as problematic. I think it is best approached with clean oven mitts. Another approach is to simply roast the bird breast up for the entire roasting time. Start the bird at 450 degrees for 20 minutes, reduce the temperature to 350 degrees and roast for an hour. Add the lemons and parsley 45 minutes before the end of roasting). If you find it is browning too much, loosely tent the bird with aluminum foil.

Procedure: Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Pull off excess fat around cavities of chicken and discard. Rinse well with cold water and pat dry, inside and out. From the edge of the cavity, slip a finger under the skin of each of the breasts, then gently but thoroughly loosen the skin from the meat of the breasts and thighs.

Put basil and butter in bowl. Finely zest the lemons into the bowl. Add garlic and green onions; stir to combine.

Using your hands and working with about 1 tablespoon of butter mixture at a time, push the mixture into the spaces you created between the chicken skin and meat, being careful not to tear skin. As you work the mixture in, gently rub your hand over the outside of the skin to smooth out mixture and push it farther down between the skin and meat where you may not be able to reach with your hand.

Season chicken all over, using 2 to 3 teaspoons coarse salt and generous amount of pepper. Tie legs together with cotton string. In large bowl toss potatoes with oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a generous grind of pepper to coat well. Cut 1 lemon into quarters and set aside.

Put a roasting pan (not nonstick) or 9-by-13-inch baking dish in oven to heat for 10 minutes. Remove and immediately put potatoes and any oil left in the bowl into the pan, keeping them in as much of a single layer as possible. Push them to the edge to make room for the chicken (it’s fine if chicken sits on some potatoes). Put chicken in pan breast-side up.

Roast 20 minutes, then remove pan from oven and turn chicken breastside down. Continue to roast for another 20 minutes, then remove pan from oven and turn bird breast-side up again. Sprinkle parsley over potatoes, then stir the parsley and potatoes to coat with pan drippings. Squeeze 3 pieces of the cut lemon over the chicken and put the squeezed rinds into the roasting pan. Continue to roast until juices run clear when the thigh is pierced with a fork, 20 to 30 minutes more. Allow chicken to rest at room temperature for 15 minutes. Transfer to cutting board and let rest 5 more minutes, then carve. Spoon pan juices over chicken and serve with the potatoes and roasted lemons.

Nutrition information (per serving): 360 calories (40 percent from fat), 15 g fat, 5 g saturated fat, 57 mg cholesterol, 19 g carbohydrates, 37 g protein, 985 mg sodium, 3.5 g fiber

Source: “A Bird in the Oven and Then Some” by Mindy Fox (Kyle, $24.95)

ROAST CHICKEN WITH GREEN OLIVES, FENNEL SEEDS AND THYME

Yield: 4 large servings

1 (4-pound) whole chicken

1 cup green olives, preferably Lucques or Cerignola (about 10), pitted, finely chopped

2 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh thyme leaves

1 garlic clove, thinly sliced

2 lemons

1 3/4 teaspoons fennel seeds

1/2 tablespoon coarse sea salt, plus more for serving

Procedure: Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Pull off excess fat around cavities of chicken and discard. Rinse well with cold water and pat dry, inside and out. From the edge of the cavity, slip a finger under the skin of each of the breasts, then gently but thoroughly loosen the skin from the meat of the breasts and thighs.

Mound pitted olives, thyme and garlic on cutting board. Chop up together, then zest lemons over olive mixture. Chop mixture together a little more, then mix in fennel seeds.

Working with about 1 tablespoon of olive mixture at a time, gently push olive mixture into pockets you created between the chicken skin and meat, being careful not to tear the skin. Once you have put the mixture into the pockets, you can gently rub your hand over the outside of the skin to smooth out the mixture and push it farther down between skin and meat where you may not be able to reach with your hand.

Put chicken in baking dish or ovenproof skillet that is a bit larger than the chicken. Season with salt. Roast in oven, turning the pan once halfway through cooking, until juices run clean when a thigh is pierced with a fork, about 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Remove pan from oven and let chicken rest in pan for 15 minutes, then baste with pan juices. Transfer to cutting board and allow it to rest 5 more minutes before carving. Serve with pan juices and optional salt for sprinkling.

Nutrition information (per serving): 490 calories (47 percent from fat), 25 g fat, 11 g saturated fat, 59 mg cholesterol, 25 g carbohydrates, 40 g protein, 1,003 mg sodium, 1.1 g fiber

Source: “A Bird in the Oven and Then Some” by Mindy Fox (Kyle, $24.95)

PERUVIAN ROAST CHICKEN WITH AVOCADO SALAD

Yield: 4 large servings

1 (4-pound) whole chicken

1 lemon, cut into quarters

5 garlic cloves

Fine sea salt

3 tablespoons distilled white vinegar

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons dry white wine, divided use

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons paprika

1 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin

1 1/2 tablespoons finely ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

Salad:

2 firm but ripe avocados

1/2 to 3/4 small red onion

3/4 cup packed cilantro leaves

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Coarse sea salt

Procedure: Pull off excess fat around cavities of the chicken and discard. Rinse chicken thoroughly with cold water and pat dry, inside and out. Over the sink or plate, rub chicken with 2 lemon quarters; reserve remaining lemon quarters. From the edge of the cavity, slip a finger under the skin of each of the breasts, then gently but thoroughly loosen the skin from the meat of the breasts and thighs.

2. Finely chop garlic; using the blade of your knife scrape and chop together the garlic and 1/2 teaspoon salt to make a paste. Working with a little bit of paste at a time, gently push paste into pockets you created between the chicken skin and meat, being careful not to tear the skin. Once you have put the mixture into the pockets, you can gently rub your hand over the outside of the skin to smooth out the mixture and push it farther down between skin and meat where you may not be able to reach with your hand.

3. In small bowl, whisk vinegar, 2 tablespoons wine, oil, paprika, cumin, black pepper and oregano. Put chicken into 1 -gallon resealable bag and pour the marinade on top. Pressing out air, seal bag. Turn several times to distribute marinade. Place bag in bowl and refrigerate 5 to 8 hours, turning bag once or twice if you are home.

4. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Transfer chicken from bag to a flameproof baking dish and pour marinade into small bowl (turn bag inside out if necessary and scrape any thick bits of spices into bowl with the marinade). Squeeze the remaining lemon pieces into the cavity of the bird, put the pieces in cavity and tie legs together with cotton string. Season chicken all over with 1 teaspoon fine salt.

5. Roast bird in over for 1 5 minutes, then baste with a bit of the marinade. Reduce heat to 375 degrees and continue to roast 1 additional hour or until juices run clear when pierced in the thick part of the thigh, basting again after 20 minutes. Remove chicken from oven and allow to rest in juices while you make the salad.

6. Peel and cube avocados. Peel and slice as much onion as you want to use. Put avocado, onion, cilantro, lime juice, oil and generous pinch of coarse salt in a bowl. Set aside.

7. Transfer chicken to cutting board. Tip the pan so you can see the oil separating from the pan juices; using a soup spoon, skim off and discard most of the oil. Bring juices to a simmer over medium-high heat. Add 1/4 cup white wine and, scraping any bits from the bottoms and sides of the pan, simmer for 3 minutes. Toss salad. Carve bird and serve with the pan sauce and salad.

Nutrition information (per serving): 470 calories (49 percent from fat), 27 g fat, 13 g saturated fat, 55 mg cholesterol, 21 g carbohydrates, 35 g protein, 890 mg sodium, 2.1 g fiber

Source: “A Bird in the Oven and Then Some” by Mindy Fox (Kyle, $24.95)

LEMON CHICKEN SOUP WITH RICE (AVGOLEMONO)

Yield: 4 servings

6 cups chicken stock or broth

1/3 cup Arborio rice or other shortgrain rice

3 large eggs

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (from about 2 lemons)

Coarse sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

3/4 cup small shreds roast chicken

Optional garnish: coarsely chopped dill, fennel fronds or parsley

Cook’s notes: If you make this soup in advance, refrigerate. Then to reheat, warm very gently over low heat in lieu of simmering or boiling, which can cause the soup to become stringy.

Procedure:  Bring stock or broth to a boil in a 5-quart saucepan; stir in rice and cook, covered, at a gentle simmer, about 15 minutes until the rice is tender. Remove from the heat and cover to keep warm.

In a medium bowl, beat the eggs, then beat in the lemon juice a little at a time, whisking constantly to combine. Still whisking the egg mixture, slowly add about 1/4 cup stock or broth, whisking vigorously to combine. Repeat twice, then add the egg mixture to the pan with the stock or broth, whisking to combine.

Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the chicken, ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with dill, fennel fronds or parsley, if you like.

Nutrition information (per serving): 191 calories (49 percent from fat), 11 g fat, 4.6 g saturated fat, 37 mg cholesterol, 15 g carbohydrates, 7 g protein, 1,012 mg sodium, 0.2 g fiber

Source: “A Bird in the Oven and Then Some” by Mindy Fox (Kyle, $24.95)