A quick and easy roast: Roast chicken... Chicken stock and Cream of chicken soup

Subtitle: The Chicken Post

Chicken is a wonderfully versatile animal - when it's cooked, that is. And in roast form, it is a quick and easy meal that feeds 4-5 (or two, with equally versatile leftovers) - bunk it in the oven and forget about it - which was exactly what I needed when my husband called me one afternoon this week to tell me that two great friends of ours were coming over for dinner, and they called later to ask if they could bring one more person. What a blessing to be able to host good friends!

Roast chicken is also a gift that keeps giving. In true Asian tradition, no part of the animal goes to waste here - first for a roast, then chicken stock, which can be turned into cream of chicken soup at some later point. Which was what I did when we had impromptu guests the next day...! Or, you can use the stock for other cooking.

So this post actually has 3 recipes. Here we go!

RECIPE: ROAST CHICKEN

Timetable:
(for a meal starting at 8pm with a 3 lb/1.5 kg whole chicken, with a side of garlic)

6.00 Preheat oven. Prep chicken
6.20 Put chicken in oven
7.00 Put in garlic side
7.50 Take roasted chicken out and stand for 10 mins
8.00 Prep gravy while someone else carves the roasted chicken

1 Roasting dish with rack

A - Seasoning
1 stick Butter (8 tbsp/113 g)
White pepper
Salt

B - Meat
1x Whole chicken (1.5 lb/ 1.5 kg)

C - Aromatics
1/2x Lemon

D - Garlic side
1 head of garlic per person

E - Gravy
1 cup Chicken stock
Splash of white wine


A. Pre-heat oven to 390 F/200 C. Soften butter and mix in salt and pepper.

B. Using your hand, separate the skin over the chicken breast from the meat, taking care not to break the skin. Slip the buttery seasoning under the skin with a flat spatula and, massaging the chicken skin, push it around until the whole breast is covered under the skin. Turn the chicken around and do the same. Brush the remaining butter all over, dabbing small pats of the buttery seasoning in the crevices of the wings and the legs so that they don't dry out.

This can get your hands a bit messy, and it will take a few washes with soap to get everything off and from under your nails. On the other hand, butter can be a natural moisturizer...

C. Quarter the lemon and stuff into the chicken cavity. Roast for 20 mins per pound, plus 30 mins. Take chicken out of oven and rest on its rack for 10 mins.

E. 50 mins before the chicken is done, put the heads of garlic in an oven dish with some olive oil and put in the oven. What this does is that it steams the garlic in their skin, and it makes a wonderful accompaniment to the roast chicken. I got this idea from Nigella Lawson.

D. While the chicken is resting and being carved (by someone else), transfer the chicken drippings onto the stove. Over direct heat, add 1 cup of chicken stock and a splash of white wine (I used Vermouth this time) and bring to a boil. Simmer until it is reduced to a syrupy consistency. You can add a tbsp of flour dissolved in 3 tbsp of water to help the thickening.

Serve with mash and salad.


RECIPE: CHICKEN STOCK
(Cooking time: 3 hours)

1 Saucepan

Leftover chicken carcass and bones
1 Bouquet garni (2 bay leaves, thyme, parsley)
2 Carrots, peeled and diced
1 stick Celery, diced
1 Onion, diced
1 Clove
Salt and pepper

Cover with water and bring to a boil. Simmer for 3 hours.


RECIPE: CREAM OF CHICKEN SOUP
(Cooking time: 15-30 mins)

2 pots
1 sieve
Food processor

A - Base
1.6 oz/45 g Butter
1x Leek, washed and sliced finely

B - Liquids
2 cups/500 ml Chicken stock from above
1 cup/300 ml Full fat milk (I use half-and-half in the USA)

C - Aromatics
2x Bay leaves
1 clove Garlic
Pinch of White pepper
0.5oz/15 g Butter

D - Meat
1 Chicken breast

E - Thickening
1 tbsp White flour, dissolved in 3 tbsp water
1x Egg yolk


A. Melt butter in pot. Add leeks and cook till softened.

B. Add the liquids and bring to a boil. Lower heat.

C/D. Add the aromatics (except butter) and chicken breast. Simmer for 10 mins. Take the chicken out and dice. Blitz the remaining mixture in a food processor - this will probably need to be done in batches. Strain and push the blitzed mixture through a sieve into another pot on a low heat to keep it warm. Return diced chicken into the mixture.* Add 0.5 oz/15 g butter.

* Alternatively, for a soup with some bits in it, you could just dice the chicken, return it to the mixture, and blitz the whole thing - leeks, diced chicken and all - in the food processor.

E. Whisk in the thickening and serve at your preferred consistency.

I like to serve this soup garnished with finely chopped fresh chives.



Bon appetit!