Oven-baked free-range chicken with maple pecan crust

4 servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
2 3-pound free-range chickens
Or fryers
Salt to taste
The Mansion on Turtle Creek
Pepper Mixture, to taste,
Recipe follows
2 tablespoons Vegetable oil
1 cup Finely ground pecans
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon Pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon Reserved chicken grease
1 Lightly beaten egg white
2 tablespoons Brandy
1½ cup Brown veal demi-glace
Roasted Garlic Potatoes
Cranberry-Orange Relish in
Sweet Potato Cups

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Remove wings from chickens. Starting at keel bone, run the tip of a knife between breast meat and bone back to the thigh so that boneless breast and thigh meat separate in one piece. Leave skin on. Cutting from underside, remove thigh and leg bones. Repeat for other bird so that you have 4 boneless half chickens.

Season chickens with salt and Pepper Mixture. Heat oil in an ovenproof saute pan large enough to hold chicken halves in a single layer. Saute chicken, skin side down, for about 5 minutes or until a light brown crust has formed, being careful not to burn.

Turn halves skin side up and place saute pan in preheated 400 degree oven. Roast the birds for 8 minutes, then remove from oven. Pour off grease, reserving 1 tablespoon. Combine pecans, mustard, maple syrup, reserved chicken grease, egg white, and salt to taste.

Spoon mixture over each bird. Using the back of a spoon, cover skin with a thin coating. Return pan to oven for about 8 minutes or until chicken is crispy and juices run clear.

Remove from oven. Place chicken on a warm platter. Pour excess fat from saute pan. Over high heat, deglaze pan with brandy. Cook just until aroma of alcohol burns off. Stir in demi-glace. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

Cover the bottom of each of four hot dinner plates with pan sauce.

Carefully place one chicken half on each. Do not break crust.

Using a pastry bag with a large star tip, pipe 2 swirls of Roasted Garlic Potatoes on each side of the chicken, forming small mounds.

(If pastry bag is not available, make small mounds with a rounded tablespoon.) Garnish the plates with Cranberry-Orange Relish in Sweet Potato Cups. Serve immediately. ENTERTAINING AT HOME WITH DEAN FEARING SHOW #HE1A24

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