Jamie Oliver's Roast Chicken Braised in Milk: WOW

Do you really need another roast chicken recipe?

Yes, you do.

When I keep reading rave reviews about a recipe, how this is the BEST roast chicken on the planet, blah blah blah, I have to make it, don't I?

Yes, I do.

Reviews help make a recipe even better than the original.

Here, Jamie Oliver, who is a great chef (and seems like a super nice guy), braises a chicken in a pint of milk with lots of lemon zest, a cinnamon stick and sage. Sounds weird, but trust me, it's the bomb.

I got a few good tips from the Kitchn, saying that the first time they made the recipe, they followed the directions, leaving the lid OFF, however when you are braising meat, don't you leave the lid ON?

I would think so.

The second time they made the recipe, they left the lid ON, yielding moister results and a better sauce.

So, I left the lid ON.

Since I browned the chicken on all sides in the butter and oil first, my skin was already a pretty golden color.
I only removed the lid the last 15 minutes of roasting.

The sauce was sticky and delicious with an amazing aroma.

I served it with a side of curried cauliflower, and I will concur with the other reviewers: this was one of the best roast chicken recipes I have had too (though my roast chicken is up there with the best of them).

Jamie Oliver's Roast Chicken Braised in Milk: (adapted from Jamie Oliver)

1 whole chicken (about 4 lbs.)
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
olive oil and butter, for cooking
zest of two lemons
1 head garlic, divided into cloves (no need to peel their skins)
2 cups whole milk
1 cinnamon stick
1 handful fresh sage (I also used fresh rosemary sprigs, why not?)

Preheat the oven to 375F.

Pat the chicken dry, season it with kosher salt and pepper, and heat a heavy, ovenproof oval pot (I used a Staub cocotte w/ lid) on the stovetop over medium-high heat. Add a drizzle of oil with about 2 tbsp of butter and brown the chicken all over, turning it with tongs, until all sides are nice and golden brown.

If there is a lot of oil and fat left in the pot, then drain before adding the rest of the ingredients (my chickens are very lean, so I did not need to do this step).

Sprinkle with lemon zest and add the remaining ingredients to the pot.

Cover and bake for 1 hours and 30 minutes, removing the lid for the last 15 minutes if you like to brown the top a little more.

Remove the chicken to a cutting board and whisk the sauce to get rid of the lumps. Squeeze the garlic cloves out of their jackets and mix in with the sauce. If the sauce seems a bit dry, then add some chicken broth or milk and whisk. It will be very thick and lumpy.

To serve, pull the meat off the bones and drizzle with sauce.

Holy Guacamole. This is one deilcious bird.

:)