This is one of my favourite ways to cook roast chicken (poulet rôti) – with Provençal herb and garlic flavours and butter, cooked in a pot rather than a tray. The chicken stays wonderfully juicy and the potatoes underneath soak up all the butter and juices. Très délicieux! Let’s go!
Nagi's Notes
I love a good roast chicken. It’s just proper home cooking at its best, don’t you think? And this French flavoured one hits high on the roast chicken deliciousness scale!! The chicken is ridiculously juicy, but those potatoes soaking up all the garlicky, herby juices – outrageously good! I was very happy taking home leftovers almost every night this week. 🙂
Poulet Rôti – French Roast Chicken
All over France, roast chicken is a Sunday lunch staple. My mum made it regularly when I was growing up, keeping it simple just using only olive oil and salt. This Poulet Rôti (POO-lay roe-TEE) French Roast Chicken I’m sharing today is made with Provençal flavours that I love – garlic, herbes de Provence, butter and olive oil. It takes me straight to warm, sunlit days and that unmistakable smell of fresh herbs on the air – you know, ça sent bon les herbes, very Provence, like you are there already.
In today’s recipe, the chicken is roasted on top of potatoes in a cast-iron pot rather than using a tray. The pot provides excellent heat distribution and protects the chicken from drying out so it’s more forgiving than tray-roasting – you will be surprised how juicy the chicken is.
Ingredients
The key ingredient and flavour in this roast chicken is a simple mix of dried herbs known as Herbes de Provence. You can buy it in some speciality stores but it’s really easy to make – you only need thyme, rosemary, oregano and marjoram (or savory if you can find it)..
Chicken – A free-range organic chicken is my preferred choice here. Better flavour and texture. In the recipe I use a 1.8 kg (4 lb) chicken, but if your chicken is a little bit smaller or larger, that’s fine. If it’s larger than 2 kg (4.4 lb), make sure your pot is big enough to welcome the big bird!
Butter – This is mixed with the Herbs de Provence and garlic then spread under the skin which flavours the flesh, keeps it juicy and melts down into a sauce that the potatoes cook. Who knew butter could multi-task so much?
Herbes de Provence – This is the ingredient that makes this Provencal. As mentioned above, you can make it yourself (it’s just thyme, oregano, rosemary and marjoram or savory) though you can sometimes find it at specialty stores. Of course, if you’re lucky enough to be in France right now, you will find it anywhere!
Garlic – Another ingredient well used in Provencal cuisine. I mix some into the butter that is put under the chicken skin and we also use whole cloves which slowly confit in the butter with the potatoes.
Fresh thyme (optional) – A typical aromatic herb from the South of France. I stuff a few sprigs inside the chicken as a little extra Provencal flavour but it’s totally optional.
Extra virgin olive oil – For rubbing the chicken which helps it brown and to season the potatoes.
Potatoes – Although you can use any potato for a roast chicken, it’s best to use starchy potatoes like brushed Sebago (US: Russet/UK: Maris Piper). These soak up the butter and all the juices from the chicken better than waxy types of potato. But, as we’re cooking them for a good 70 minutes, you could use any potato and they will still be very good.
How to make Poulet Rôti – French Roast Chicken
This is an easy recipe that anyone can make. Make sure you don’t skip the resting part at the end – standing it upright so the juices settle in the breast makes such a difference. One small step for home cooks, one giant leap for roast chickens!
Preheat pot – Put the pot in the oven while it is heating up. Making the pot hot gives the potatoes and chicken a bit of head start with the cooking. But don’t worry if you forget to do this – Nagi forgot, and her chicken came out perfectly!
Make herb butter – In a small bowl, mix the herb butter ingredients together until combined. Set aside for later.
Pat dry the chicken completely using paper towels (skin and inside the cavity).
Loosen the skin – From the tail end, gently slide an upside down spoon (or your fingers) between the skin and the breast meat using slow sweeping motions to break the membrane connecting them (be careful not to tear the skin, take your time, I guarantee you this chicken is not going anywhere 😅). After the breasts, use the same technique for the thighs and drumsticks.
Butter under the skin – I find it easier to start with the breast, spoon 2/3 of the butter directly onto the meat under the skin and gently flatten with your hands to spread it all over evenly. Then divide the remaining butter between the two legs and spread it the same way.
Season and finish – Season inside the cavity with 1/4 tsp salt, Herbs de Provence and thyme sprigs. Tie the drumsticks tightly together. Rub the whole chicken with olive oil and season the outside evenly with the remaining salt. Tuck the wings under and set aside on the counter.
Prepare potatoes – Place potatoes, garlic cloves, salt, pepper and olive oil in a bowl and mix until the potatoes are well coated.
Roast covered – Put the potatoes into the hot cast-iron pot so they cover the bottom, place the chicken on top, cover loosely with a sheet of foil and roast in the oven for 30 minutes. We cover with foil to trap some moisture and stop the chicken colouring too quickly while still allowing heat to circulate, a lid would trap too much steam, restrain roasting, and often won’t fit over the chicken anyway.
Baste and continue roasting – Remove the foil and baste the chicken with the juices (I use a baster but a spoon works fine). return to the oven uncovered for 40 minutes basting twice more until the internal temperature at the thigh joint reaches 72°C / 162°F.
Rest upright – This is an important step, don’t skip it! Lift and rest the chicken on its side leaning against the pot, legs up, breast side down and rest for 15 minutes. This will allow the juices to settle in the breasts which makes it juicier. Baste once more because you can’t have enough basting!
Then it is ready to serve. Carve the chicken like in the video and don’t forget the oysters, the small, very tender pieces of meat on the back near the thigh. There are only two, and they are the best bites. Easy to miss, so don’t forget them! Serve with the potatoes, all the pan juices and a sprinkle of fresh thyme leaves.
How to serve Poulet Rôti – French Roast Chicken
Plenty of starch here so serve this with fresh greeneries like a garden salad, a green beans salad or just a side of simple vegetables like steamed broccoli with a drizzle of olive oil. And don’t forget some crusty bread on the side for mopping up all that delicious sauce!
At the end of the day, this is really just a basic pot roasted chicken with a sprinkle of France. But actually, I cooked a version of this for diners when I was working in Manhattan at a French restaurant owned by a Michelin-starred chef. I think it’s a dish that proves just how special simple food can be. I hope you enjoy it too! Bon appétit! – JB
FAQ – French Roast Chicken
You can get the chicken ready (with the butter) a few hours ahead and keep it in the fridge but make sure to pull it out of the fridge 1 hour before cooking to bring it to room temperature. For the rest, I would recommend to cook it so it’s just ready for dinner to get the crispiest skin and juiciest meat.
Don’t worry too much, just patch it as best you can. It won’t affect the flavour, only the look slightly.
No problem, use what you have. Even just thyme or rosemary works well. You will still get amazing flavours.
Cast iron is best for its heat retention but any other pot will do the job as long as it’s heavy based.
Gravity is working for us here! It lets the juices settle into the breast, keeping it extra juicy. Small step, big difference!
Watch How To Make It
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Poulet Rôti – French Roast Chicken
Ingredients
- 1.8kg / 4lb whole chicken (Note 1)
- 1 1/2 tsp herbes de Provence , buy or make your own (Note 2)
- 3 thyme sprigs , optional
- 3/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt , halve for table salt, +50% for flakes
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Herbs Butter
- 100g / 1 stick unsalted butter , softened
- 2 garlic cloves , finely grated
- 3 tsp herbes de Provence (Note 2)
- 1 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt , halve for table salt, +50% for flakes
Potatoes
- 750g / 1.65lb starchy potatoes , peeled, cut into 2 cm/0.8" cubes (Aus: Sebga – the dirt brush ones, US: Russet, UK: Maris Piper – Note 3)
- 8 garlic cloves , whole, unpeeled
- 3/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt , halve for table salt, +50% for flakes
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
ABBREVIATED RECIPE
- Spread Herb Butter under chicken skin. Rub chicken with oil, salt inside and skin. Roast on potatoes and garlic – covered 30 minutes at 210°C / 410°F (190°C fan-forced), then 40 minutes uncovered, basting 3 times, or until the internal temperature reaches 72°C. Rest upright 15 minutes.
FULL RECIPE
- Preheat oven to 210°C / 410°F (190°C fan-forced). Place a 28cm cast-iron pot (no lid) in the oven to heat up.
- Bring chicken to room temp – Remove the chicken from the fridge and its packaging. Place it on a plate and let it sit on the counter while you prepare everything else. (Note 4)
- Make herb butter – In a small bowl, mix the softened butter with herbes de Provence, salt and finely grated garlic until well combined. Set aside.
Prepare Chicken and Potatoes
- Pat the chicken completely dry with paper towels, including the skin and inside the cavity.
- Loosen the skin – From the tail end, gently slide an upside down spoon (not too large, dessert size is ideal for this) between the skin and the breast meat using slow sweeping motions to break membrane connecting them. After the breasts, use the same technique for the thighs and drumsticks. (Note 5)
- Add butter under the skin – Start with the breast, spoon 2/3 of the butter directly onto the meat under the skin and gently press on the outside of the skin with your hands to flatten and spread it all over evenly. Then divide the remaining butter between the two legs and spread it the same way. (Note 6)
- Season and finish the chicken – Season inside the cavity with 1/4 tsp salt, Herbs de Provence and thyme sprigs. Tie the drumsticks tightly together. Rub the whole chicken with olive oil and season the outside evenly with the remaining salt. Tuck the wings under and set aside on the counter.
- Prepare potatoes – Place potatoes, whole garlic cloves, salt, pepper and olive oil in a mixing bowl. Toss well to coat, then set aside.
Roast Chicken
- Roast covered – Carefully remove the hot pot from the oven. Place the potatoes at the bottom, then place the chicken on top. Cover loosely with foil and roast for 30 minutes. (Note 7)
- Baste and continue roasting – Remove the pot from the oven and take off the foil. Baste the chicken with the juices in the pot, moving the potatoes aside if needed to access the liquid (a spoon works fine, though a baster is perfect for this). Return to the oven and roast uncovered for 40 minutes, basting twice more until the internal temperature at the thigh joint reaches 72°C / 162°F (if slightly over, don’t stress, this one is very forgiving). (Note 8)
- Rest (very important!) – Lift and rest the chicken on its side in the pot, legs up, breast side down. Baste once more with the juices, then rest for 15 minutes. (Note 9)
- Serve – Carve the chicken (See video. Don't forget the oysters, the small, very tender pieces of meat on the back near the thigh. There are only two, and they are the best bites. Easy to miss, so don’t forget them!) and serve with the potatoes, all the pan juices and a sprinkle of fresh thyme leaves. Enjoy! (Note 10)
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
In Memory Of Dozer
As Nagi said, it was Dozer’s birthday last weekend. It reminded me of that time when we celebrated his birthday a few year ago. Party hat on, not entirely impressed and me doing my best to keep him still for a photo. Happy belated birthday my dear friend!
I can just imagine how excited he would’ve been about this roast chicken recipe. Knowing his love for anything roast chicken, there’s no chance he would’ve missed the testings. I can imagine him sniffing around and barking until he finally gets his well-deserved share. 😅
Hi Chef JB..I gave this a go tonight. Roasting anything is not my favourite thing (too hard, too scary :-)..
This was the nicest roast bird I have had for a very long time..
Moist, herby, and the veggies were delicious.
Thankyou for once again getting me out of my comfort zone..
Oh, my! Definitely going to be a regular at our place. Easy to put together, the house smells devine and so delicious!!!
Thank you Connie! So happy it was hit at your house 🙂
It almost feels like zero effort! I added carrots to the potatoes, and there was so much pan liquid that I was able to quickly braise a large quantity of greens. Super moist and incredibly tasty!
Thanks Marble!! Thank you for your feedback 🙂
Délicieux JB, merci beaucoup! Doubled herb quantities as used fresh from the garden. Next time will add leek to the potato base.
Dozer always ❤️
Thank you Kate, it was probably so good with fresh herbs!
I have made and enjoyed many of your recipes. Your the best. I was so sorry to hear of your loss of Dozer. My son brought a G.Retriever all the way from Ireland as a surprise for his wife. Bopper has been a precious fun dog and we all love him. He is huge baby.
Thank you for your kind words Pam ♥️
It worked out really tasty but I’ve got a decent size Smeg oven and it wasn’t anywhere near cooked with a 1..8kg chicken as per instructions, I already gave it an extra 5 minutes and the full 15 minutes resting time, then on carving it was very very pink in the joints leaking dark pink fluids on carving, so I gave another 5 minutes. If you don’t own a meat thermometer it’s all going to be guess work. Perhaps if you don’t have a commercial oven you need more cooking time??
Hi Beth, thanks for the feedback, just wondering, did you try the clear juice trick mentioned in my notes? Lifting and tilting the chicken should release clear juices when it’s cooked. Ovens can vary quite a bit though, so sometimes an extra few minutes is needed depending on the oven or the chicken itself. Glad it still turned out tasty!
Merci chef, for this amazing recipe. Best ever chicken and totally worth the little bit of extra effort.
I live in France and always look forward to your recipes. The mushroom tart was also a real winner!
Thank you Claudine, I’m glad you loved it 🙂
5 stars of course!
Thank you Kate!
Do I put the chicken in the pot breasts at the bottom or breast side up?
Hi Geraldine, during the cooking it’s breast side up.
Delicious, the potatoes are the star of this dish. Blistered green beans went well with it
Perfect! That’s great to hear, thanks!!
A comment from France… JB, this is outstanding! The lifting of the skin was a bit intimidating but once you broke through that membrane it was easy to lift the rest and insert the butter. The jus was OUT-OF-THIS -WORLD. The potatoes were also heavenly. OK, I’m out of superlatives. If I could give it 6 stars I totally would. Charles de Nîmes
Thank you Charles, your comment really means a lot ♥️
Made this for Mother’s Day, reheated leftovers with oven griller, crispiest chicken and potatoes soaked in chicken juice …. So yum
Thank you JB!
Thank you for your great feedback Angela!
Best roast chicken I’ve ever had JB!
Thank you so much Sophie!
Technically I haven’t tried it yet; it’s still in the oven. But the house smells AMAZING
Technically I haven’t tried it yet; it’s still in the oven, but the house smells AMAZING
Thanks Nicky, I hope it went well 🙂
I made this on Sunday and normally my husband would go for the breast (he hates fighting with bones) and I’d go for the legs but I was fighting him for the breast meat it was so juicy! Thanks for the tip of standing the chicken up to rest afterwards JB
No worries Teresa! I’m happy you both loved it!
Made this tonight and it was delicious.
Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Hi Anne, you are welcome! Thank you!
made the Poulet au Herbs du Provence last night. I followed the recipe exactly but it needed an extra 25 minutes of cooking. Could it be because i didn’t have a cast iron pot? I used ceramic.
Hi Paul, yes, that’s very likely why. Cast iron holds heat much more strongly than ceramic. I’m glad you kept cooking until it was done, that’s always more important than the exact timing. Thank you for leaving your feedback 🙂
Beautiful dish! Thank you JB. I mixed some sweet potato in with my potatoes. Delicious! Served with sliced Italian flat beans. Lucky us, leftovers tonight 🙂
Left off my rating which is a big 5 stars ⭐️
Hi Julie, That’s perfect and sounds delicious with sweet potatoes!
Delicious and succulent. I went to 3 shops before I found the marjoram. Served with lemon and garlic green beans and crusty warmed rolls to mop up the juices. Everyone loved it. Off to do my after dinner walk. Thanks for your delicious french recipes JB.
Hi Tan, I’m so so glad it went well for you. And happy you were able to find marjoram!