Provencal Rotisserie Chicken and Potatoes

When Mark and I were in Provence (pretentious much!?) we were told that we could not miss the famous rotisserie chicken.  To be quite honest, I was skeptical.  I am in one of the food capitals of the world and I am being encouraged to eat something that I can get in any supermarket in America?  No thank you.  I was, as per usual, wrong.  This chicken is roasted so that it is perfectly juice on the inside and super crispy skin.  The potatoes are cooked beneath the chicken so that the potatoes cook in the chicken juices and fat so that they are equally perfect and delicious.  I used a roasting rack to simulate the rotisserie.  Laying the potatoes on the bottom of the rack allows the juices and fat from the chicken to permeate the potatoes and the rack allow heat circulation so that the chicken crisps all around.  Mark and I both really loved this simple, but delicious meal.

Provencal Rotisserie Chicken and Potatoes
Ingredients:
6.5 lb. chicken
1 lemon
1 onion
3 cloves garlic
2 Tbs. olive oil
salt and pepper
1 Tbs. Herbs de Provence 
6 medium red potatoes

1.  Preheat the oven to 375.
2.  Chop the potatoes into 1 inch cubes and lay on the bottom of a roasting pan that has a rack.  Sprinkle with about 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. pepper, and 1/2 tsp. Herbs de Provence.

Place the rack over top of the potatoes.

3.  Rinse the chicken with cold water and pat very dry with a paper towel and place on top of the rack.
4.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper inside the cavity, and stuff the cavity with quartered lemon, coarsely chopped onion, and whole garlic cloves.

5.  Rub the chicken with 2 Tbs. olive oil and sprinkle liberally with 1 Tbs. salt, 1/2 tsp. pepper, and 2 tsp. Herbs de Provence.

7.  Bake at 375 for an hour and a half until skin is beautifully crispy and light brown.  The juices will run clear when you pierce the skin between the leg and body.

8.  Allow to rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing.

9.  The potatoes will be full of flavor and super crispy.

I served with a simple side salad and it was a perfect meal.

Here I am eating our leftover rotisserie chicken while basking in the view from our roof terrace in Provence.

Here is the view looking out.  Somewhat better :)

One Year Ago: Chicken Enchiladas
Two Years Ago:  Roasted Broccoli