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This yummy baked chicken has a finishing touch that gives it
a broiled Swiss cheese crust, and is served with a rich,
delicate sauce made from the pan juices, cream, mustard and
more cheese. Mmmmmmmm!
Cheese-Crusted Chicken with Cream
- 3-1/2- to 4-pound (1.6- to 1.8-kg) whole frying chicken
- About 1 T (15 ml) butter or margarine, melted
- 1-1/4 cups (300 ml) shredded Gruyere or Swiss cheese (5 oz /140 g)
- 1 T (15 ml) Dijon mustard
- About 3/4 cup (180 ml) whipping cream
- Watercress for garnish, if desired
Remove chicken neck and giblets; discard lumps of fat. Rinse chicken inside and out, then pat dry. Brush skin with
butter. Place chicken, breast down, on a rack in a shallow
roasting pan. Roast, uncovered, in a 375 F (190 C) oven for
30 minutes; then turn over and continue to roast until a
meat thermometer inserted in thickest part of thigh (not
touching bone) registers 185 F (85 C) or until meat near
thighbone is no longer pink when slashed (30 to 45 more
minutes).
Using poultry shears or a knife, cut chicken into quarters.
(I chose to skin ours at this point.) Arrange pieces, skin
side up and slightly apart, in a shallow ovenproof serving
dish. Sprinkle with 3/4 cup (180 ml) of the cheese. Return
to oven and turn off heat.
Skim and discard fat from pan drippings. Stir in mustard
and 3/4 cup (180 ml) cream; bring to a boil over high heat
and boil, stirring, until shiny bubbles form (3 to 4
minutes). Remove from heat, add remaining 1/2 cup (120 ml)
cheese, and stir until cheese is melted and sauce is smooth
(if necessary, thin sauce with a little more cream). Keep
sauce warm.
Broil chicken 4 to 5 inches (10 to 12.5 cm) below heat until
cheese is bubbly (about 1 minute). Pour sauce around
chicken; garnish with watercress.
Makes 4 servings.
About The Author: Good Fixins comes to you 5 days a week with a wonderful
recipe, a food fact, and for fun there's the CRITTER CORNER
where we share our favorite stories about our four-legged
friends.
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