Roast Chicken With French Fries

3 from 12 ratings

"Poulet frites!" I'd yell every time we went to a restaurant. My parents would look at the menu, discuss the different possibilities, and then decide to be adventuresome. I, on the other hand, always knew exactly what I wanted — delicious crisp chicken and a heaping mound of thin french fries, crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside, served with the rich, creamy mayonnaise that tasted nothing like home. — Sara Remington Click here to see 101 Ways to Cook Chicken

Servings

servings

Ingredients

one 3 1/2-pound chicken, cut into quarters
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed lightly
2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 -1 1/2 tablespoons sea salt
2 tablespoon unsalted butter
4 large russet or kennebec potatoes
canola oil or other vegetable oil, for deep-frying
1 teaspoon salt

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Rub the chicken quarters all over with the garlic. Place the pieces, skin side up, on a baking sheet. Rub them all over with the olive oil followed by the salt. Bake for about 20 minutes, then using a butter knife, spread 1 tablespoon of the butter over the tops of the chicken pieces.
Continue to cook, basting once more with the remaining butter. Cook the chicken until the juices run clear when pierced with a knife, about 1 hour.
Meanwhile, prepare the french fries. Peel the potatoes and trim them to make a rectangular block. Cut the potatoes evenly into batons or sticks ¼-inch wide by ¼-inch thick. Place in cold water and continue to change the water until it is clear. Dry the potatoes completely with a towel.
Fill a deep-fryer to the fill line with oil, or a Dutch oven fitted with a candy thermometer 1/3 full. Heat the oil over medium heat until it reaches 325 degrees. Line a platter with paper towels.
Add the potatoes, only a few handfuls at a time, being sure not to overcrowd them. Increase the heat to medium-high and fry until the potatoes have formed a skin and are faintly golden, 6-7 minutes. Remove to the platter to drain. Repeat until all are cooked. Let rest for 15 minutes to 2 hours before the second frying. Reserve the frying oil.
When ready to serve, heat the oil again to 350 degrees. Fry the potatoes in handfuls as before until they turn a warm golden brown, about 5 minutes. Season with the salt.