Roast Chicken with Morels

Before starting this Roast Chicken with Morels, get the dried morels ready...

... and place them in a mixing bowl filled with hot water.

Combine carefully...

... and set aside for at least 10 or 15 minutes.

Organize all the necessary ingredients for the roast chicken.

For the stuffed chicken: Dress the chicken (remove the entrails). You can reserve the gizzard and liver, then stuff them inside the chicken before cooking.

Remove the chicken butt with a knife.

Prepare a bouquet garni with herbs.

Season the inside of the chicken with salt...

... and pepper.

Add the bouquet garni inside the chicken.

Crush 3 or 4 garlic cloves with the blade of a knife. You don't need to peel them.

Place the garlic cloves inside the chicken.

Butter the inside of the chicken with 50 grams of softened butter, using a spatula.

Place the stuffed chicken in a roasting tray.

Season the chicken with salt...

... and ground pepper.

Slice a white onion...

... and spread around the chicken in the roasting tray.

Baste the chicken with dry white wine.

Coat the surface of the chicken with olive oil.

Season again with salt...

... and pepper.

Place the chicken in the oven preheated to 210°C (gas 6-7)...

... and roast for about 15 to 20 minutes. Reduce the temperature down to 170°C and continue cooking for about 3 hours. Cooking time takes 45 to 50 minutes per kg of meat. It is essential for you to weigh the raw chicken to estimate cooking time. Prefer a slow, regular cooking for best results.

When the chicken starts to brown, baste regularly with the juice at the bottom of the tray.

When the white wine has reduced, continue basting with the Ariake chicken juice and cook until you get a crispy skin. You don't need to reheat the chicken juice beforehand.

In the meantime, strain the morels with a fine sieve.

The chicken should slowly brown on the surface. Baste the chicken regularly (every 15 to 20 minutes) to get a moist meat and crispy skin. Bury the onions inside the chicken juice.

After 2 hours, if you find the chicken is starting to brown too much on the surface, cover with foil and continue cooking.

When cooked, remove from the oven...

... and remove the aluminium foil. The chicken is cooked and golden at this stage.

Morels in cream sauce: Melt the butter in a frying pan.

When the butter starts sizzling, add the rehydrated morels.

Season with salt...

... and ground pepper.

Baste the morels with some of the juice from the chicken roast.

Cook for a few minutes until reduced by 3/4.

Add the crème fraîche...

... and combine carefully until homogeneous.

Continue cooking to reduce the sauce a little. Season to taste if needed.

Transfer the morels into a bowl and keep warm.

Take the chicken out of the roasting tray and keep warm. Place the roasting tray on your cooktop to reduce the remaining juice.

Pass the reduced juice through a fine sieve over a saucepan.

Remove the sieve...

... and bring the juice to a boil to reduce. Adjust the seasoning if needed. Keep warm.

For the finish: Pour some of the roast juice at the bottom of the serving dish...

... and arrange the roast chicken in the centre. Arrange the morels in cream sauce harmoniously around the chicken. Serve immediately. Bon appétit!