Recipe courtesy of Geoffrey Zakarian

Roasted Chicken with Salad and Dijon Vinaigrette

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  • Level: Easy
  • Total: 1 hr 30 min (includes marinating time)
  • Active: 30 min
  • Yield: 4 servings
A classic roasted chicken should be in every good cook's repertoire. I've opted for bone-in skin-on chicken breasts for this recipe--they cook faster than a whole bird but still deliver on flavor. The bone helps the breasts stay tender and juicy and the skin browns beautifully. The chicken is rubbed in an herby Dijon mustard paste while a bit more Dijon spikes the classic vinaigrette in the salad that accompanies the dish.

Ingredients

Chicken:

Vinaigrette:

Directions

  1. For the chicken: Combine the Dijon mustard, olive oil, rosemary, thyme and lemon zest in a large bowl. Add the chicken and coat well with the mustard paste. Sprinkle the chicken from high above with salt and pepper (to ensure even distribution). Refrigerate for 30 minutes and up to 4 hours.
  2. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. 
  3. Put the chicken skin-side up in a large ovenproof skillet and add 1 cup of water. Roast until the skin is golden and the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F, about 35 minutes. Let the chicken rest while you prepare the salad.  
  4. For the vinaigrette: Pour 1/4 cup of the juices from the skillet into a large bowl along with the vinegar, shallots, Dijon mustard and tarragon. Slowly whisk in the olive oil. Add the lettuce, toss to coat and season with salt and pepper. Divide the salad among 4 plates, top each with a piece of chicken and serve with bread for soaking up the flavorful juices.