Poulet Rôti Saint-Germain
- Brian Theis
- Apr 30
- 2 min read
You'll feel like you've dropped into a brasserie on the Left Bank when you roast up one of these delicious French hens.
From "The Infinite Feast: How to Host the Ones You Love—Recipes from the Big Easy . . . and Beyond" by Brian Theis, 2020 Click here for more on my best-selling cookbook!
Poulet Rôti Saint-Germain
Makes 4 to 6 servings
3 to 4 pound whole chicken
2 teaspoons salt, divided
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, plus 4 whole sprigs
4 sprigs fresh tarragon
8 sprigs parsley, divided
2 bay leaves
1 lemon, halved
1 head of garlic, halved crosswise
1 shallot, halved lengthwise
3 strips thick bacon
1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter, melted
Freshly ground pepper
An hour before you begin, pat the chicken dry with paper towels, rub all over inside and out with 1 teaspoon salt. Refrigerate. Wash your hands thoroughly.
Heat oven to 450°F. Stuff cavity of chicken with 4 sprigs each of thyme, tarragon, and parsley, and the bay leaves. Insert lemon half, garlic half, shallot half. Tie legs together with kitchen twine. After handling raw chicken remember to wash hands, as well as all in-contact kitchen equipment.
In a large Dutch oven cook the bacon on stovetop till softened, about 5 minutes.
Place the bird breast up in pan, arrange partially cooked bacon around it. Then surround with remaining halves of garlic, lemon, shallot, and rest of parsley.
Pour melted butter over entire bird. Sprinkle with remaining teaspoon salt and shower with several generous grinds of pepper. Finish with the tablespoon of thyme leaves, evenly scattered.
Roast chicken for 45-55 minutes and test with thermometer in thickest part of the breast. When it makes it to 165°F you're done.
This dish sounds like pure comfort with a French twist — love the idea of golden, herb-kissed chicken shared with good company. It’s those slow, satisfying meals that stick with you. I’ve been diving into more bold, fire-grilled flavors lately too, and trying out an asado beef ribs recipe was such a win. The tenderness, that smoky crust, the richness — I was seriously impressed. It felt like a celebration on a plate. Definitely keeping that one in my weekend rotation.