This recipe was inspired by the great Jacques Pépin’s Poulet à la Crème. My version transforms one of his signature dishes into a wood-fired brick chicken served with morel mushrooms in a cream sauce. It features the same foundational flavor profiles but incorporates some smoky, charred elements from the wood-fired oven—something we love to utilize here whenever possible at Jack and Charlie’s No. 118. But you can make it at home, too!

Brick Chicken with Morels à la Crème

Recipe details

Serves

2

Ingredients

  • 1 whole chicken, 2 ½ to 3 pounds
  • Blended oil
  • Potato starch and cornstarch
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
  • 2 tablespoons minced shallots
  • 3 ounces morel mushrooms, cleaned and halved
  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme
  • ½ cup vermouth or dry white wine
  • 1 cup reduced chicken stock or chicken demi-glace
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • ½ lemon, juiced
  • 2 heaping tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
  • Salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • Fresh tarragon leaves, for garnish
  • Sea salt, for garnish
  • Extra virgin olive oil, for garnish

Method

  1. To prepare the chicken, use a boning knife to cut along the breastbone to release the breast and leg. Then, cut through the leg joint to release the leg from the carcass. You should have a fully intact half chicken with both the leg and wing. Next, remove the thigh bone and trim the flesh and skin from the end of the drumstick, cutting off the end joint to French it. Cut off the wing bone and French the wing bone. Repeat the process on the other side of the chicken.
  2. Place the two halves of chicken, skin side up, onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Place in the refrigerator and let sit overnight, uncovered, so that the skin dries out.
  3. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  4. Remove the chicken from the refrigerator and season all over with salt and pepper; then lightly dust the skin with the potato starch and cornstarch mixture.
  5. Heat 2 tablespoons of blended oil in a large, cast-iron pan over high heat. Add the seasoned chicken, skin side down. Place a cast-iron weight, or aluminum foil-wrapped brick, directly on top of the chicken. Cook the chicken until the skin has turned a dark golden brown and a crust has formed. Transfer the pan to the oven and continue to cook until the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 160°F.
  6. Remove the chicken from the pan to a plate to rest. Discard any remaining oil.
  7. Heat the butter in the same pan over medium heat. When the butter foams add the garlic, shallots, morels, and thyme sprigs. Reduce the heat and cook gently until the mushrooms begin to soften. Remove the thyme sprigs and add the vermouth to deglaze the pan. Bring to a boil and cook until the liquid has reduced by half. Add the chicken stock and cream and return to a boil. Place the chicken back in the pan, skin side up, along with any juices and put it back in the oven to cook until the sauce has thickened, 4 to 6 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and place the chicken on a plate.
  8. Finish the sauce with fresh lemon juice and freshly chopped tarragon. Bring the sauce to a quick boil; then spoon the sauce around the chicken. Garnish with fresh tarragon leaves, a sprinkling of sea salt and a drizzle of olive oil and serve immediately.