Maple Roast Chicken
Maple syrup makes this roast chicken shine. It's a simple meal that will impress your family and friends. I love Grade B (Grade A--Dark Color and Robust Flavor) maple syrup, I think the flavor is a little deeper and more complex than Grade A. Give it a try!
Equipment
- Kitchen string, fat separator
Ingredients
For the maple roast chicken
- 1 lemon, preferably organic, cut in half
- 1 (3 1/2-pound) whole organic chicken
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 15 fingerling potatoes
- 4 large-ish shallots, halved
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling on the chicken
- 1/2 cup maple syrup*
For the maple gravy
- 1 tablespoon (1/2 oz) unsalted butter
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup homemade chicken stock or canned chicken broth
- 1/2 cup defatted pan drippings
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch dissolved in 3 tablespoons cold water (optional)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
Make the maple roast chicken
- Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C).
- Place the chicken in a roasting pan. Pat the chicken dry inside and out. Cram the lemon inside the cavity of the chicken. Tie the chicken legs together with the kitchen string. Drizzle chicken with a little oil and season it with salt and pepper. Add the potatoes and shallots to the roasting pan. Roast for 30 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the oven and drizzle the chicken all over with the 1/4 cup oil and the maple syrup. Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F (191°C), return the chicken to the oven, and roast for 25 minutes more.
- Remove the pan from the oven and carefully tip the pan so the drippings pool in one end of the pan. Pour or spoon the drippings into a fat separator or a measuring cup and reserve for the gravy. Return the chicken to the oven and roast for about 20 minutes more, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thigh reads 165°F (74°C) and the juices run clear. Let the chicken rest for at least 10 minutes.
Make the maple gravy
- After you pour off the drippings from the chicken for the gravy, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook, stirring, until soft, about 2 minutes.
- Stir in the chicken stock and defatted drippings from the pan of roast chicken and simmer until reduced by half, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the cream and let the sauce simmer until thickened, about 20 minutes. If a thicker consistency is desired, stir in the cornstarch mixture. Season the gravy with salt and pepper.
Serve the chicken
- Carve the chicken into pieces and serve it with the potatoes, shallots, and gravy.
Notes
*What is Grade B maple syrup?
Sweet Paul himself recommends using Grade B maple syrup in this recipe. But hang on a minute--Grade B doesn't exist anymore, since 2014. What you're looking for now is Grade A: Dark Color and Robust Flavor. It's still the same thing, it's just a change in government naming regulations in the US. This category is darker and richer, with a more brown sugar-like flavor. It's harvested later in the season and has a lingering maple flavor. Some of our testers used the lightest (Grade A) version of maple syrup and found that the maple flavor was barely discernible, so take that as you will--it all depends on how much you love that sweet, sweet syrup.Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 1895kcal | Carbohydrates: 178g | Protein: 55g | Fat: 109g | Saturated Fat: 44g | Monounsaturated Fat: 46g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 302mg | Sodium: 311mg | Fiber: 19g | Sugar: 34g