If you've had the pleasure of wandering through a market in France, you've crossed paths with a very well-known market fare, poulet roti. Poulet roti is a simply prepared French-style roast chicken, often cooked on a rotisserie in the market, and served with schmaltz-drenched potatoes. Beneath a papery golden brown skin, the meat pulls away from the bone, offering hunks of perfectly cooked chicken. I wanted to achieve the same flavor and texture, but with a method that was more feasible for home cooks-since, let's be real, how many of us have rotisseries? The key here is cooking the chicken low and slow for a whopping three hours. To ensure an even juicier chicken, I start by roasting the bird breast-side down, then flip it halfway through the cooking time. I like pretending I'm in France when I make this and serve it with a doctored-up side of mayonnaise and a simply dressed green salad.

NOTE:The chicken and potatoes can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Recipe reprinted with permission from Nights and Weekends by Alexis deBoschnek C 2025. Published by Union Square & Co., an imprint of Grand Central Publishing, a division of Hachette Book Group. Photos by Christian Harder. 

Ingredients

  • 1 (4-pound) whole chicken, giblets removed

  • 2 pounds new potatoes, halved

  • 1 head garlic, cloves separated and peeled

  • 2½ teaspoons kosher salt

  • 4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

  • 2 tablespoons herbes de Provence

  • 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

  • ¾ cup mayonnaise

  • 2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard

  • Juice of 1 lemon (about 2 tablespoons)

Steps

  • An hour before cooking, remove chicken from the refrigerator. Blot it dry with paper towels on all sides, including the cavity, and let rest at room temperature. 

  • Preheat the oven to 300F

  • Place the potatoes and garlic in a 9X13-inch baking dish and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt. 

  • Combine the butter, herbes de Provence, pepper and remaining 2 teaspoons of salt in a small bowl stir well. Rub the chicken with the butter mixture on all sides. Place the chicken breast-side down on top of the potatoes and roast for 1 hour 30 minutes. 

  • Transfer the chicken to a cutting board. Stir to coat the potatoes in the chicken juices and spread them evenly in the pan. Place the chicken breast-side up on the potatoes and roast for 1 hour 30 minutes more. For more color, broil on high for 2 minutes until the skin is deeply golden brown. 

  • While the chicken is in the oven, stir together the mayonnaise, mustard and lemon juice in a small bowl. 

  • Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let it rest for at least 10 minutes before carving. Serve the chicken over the potatoes with the mayo mixture on the side.