Name: Million Dollar Chicken
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: Whole chicken - 1 (4.5 pound); Salt and ground black pepper to taste - 1 (4.5 pound); Lemon, halved - 1; Fresh thyme - 1 bunch; Garlic, peeled (Optional) - 3 cloves; Bay leaf - 1; Olive oil, or as needed - 3 tablespoons; Day-old sourdough French bread - 3 thick slices; Creme fraiche - 1 cup; Peeled and grated shallot - 1 tablespoon; Aleppo pepper - 1 teaspoon; Lemon juice, or to taste - 2 tablespoons; Lemon zest - 1 teaspoon; Chive blossoms for garnish, chopped (Optional) - 3

Ingredients for - Million Dollar Chicken

1. Whole chicken 1 (4.5 pound)

2. Salt and ground black pepper to taste 1 (4.5 pound)

3. Lemon, halved 1

4. Fresh thyme 1 bunch

5. Garlic, peeled (Optional) 3 cloves

6. Bay leaf 1

7. Olive oil, or as needed 3 tablespoons

8. Day-old sourdough French bread 3 thick slices

9. Creme fraiche 1 cup

10. Peeled and grated shallot 1 tablespoon

11. Aleppo pepper 1 teaspoon

12. Lemon juice, or to taste 2 tablespoons

13. Lemon zest 1 teaspoon

14. Chive blossoms for garnish, chopped (Optional) 3

How to cook deliciously - Million Dollar Chicken

1 . Stage

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).

2 . Stage

Season chicken cavity generously with salt and black pepper. Squeeze lemon halves into cavity, then drop squeezed halves inside. Stuff cavity with thyme, garlic, and bay leaf. Set aside.

3 . Stage

Drizzle 1 tablespoon oil into a heavy roasting pan. Place bread slices into the pan and press lightly into oil to coat the bottoms of bread. Drizzle 1 more tablespoon oil over bread and place chicken on top. Tie legs together with kitchen twine, then brush chicken with remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Season the entire outside of chicken with salt.

4 . Stage

Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour.

5 . Stage

Meanwhile, mix together crème fraîche, shallot, and Aleppo pepper in a small bowl. Stir lemon juice and lemon zest into crème fraîche mixture. Refrigerate sauce until needed.

6 . Stage

Lift chicken off bread slices using tongs and flip bread slices over (they will be very brown). Place chicken back onto bread slices. Generously brush the outside of chicken with crème fraîche sauce, putting enough on to drip down onto bread slices.

7 . Stage

Bake until sauce is browned, about 10 minutes. Repeat, brushing more crème fraîche sauce generously onto chicken. Bake for 10 more minutes. Remove chicken from the oven and let stand for 10 minutes. An instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a thigh near the bone should read at least 165 degrees F (75 degrees C).

8 . Stage

While chicken rests, pour remaining crème fraîche sauce into a small skillet over medium heat; bring to a boil. Cook and stir until shallot is cooked and sauce thickens slightly, 1 or 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and set aside.

9 . Stage

Transfer chicken and bread pieces to a cutting board. Cut bread pieces in half crosswise and arrange them on a serving platter. Cut chicken into 8 serving pieces (drumsticks, thighs, wings, and breasts) and place over bread on the platter. Drizzle thickened crème fraîche sauce over chicken and garnish with chopped chive blossoms. Aja