Recipe: Roasted Split Chicken with Mustard Crust

Pepin says he often makes this recipe at home when I in a hurry, because splitting and flattening the chicken and cutting between the joints of the leg and the shoulder reduce the cooking time by half. He uses kitchen shears to split the chicken open at the back and to cut the cooked bird into serving pieces and a knife to cut between the joints. The mustard crust can be made ahead and even spread on the chicken a day ahead, if you like. He pours the cooked chicken juices into a fat separator with a spout and serve over fluffy mashed potatoes, leaving the fat behind.

Mustard Crust
2 Tablespoons chopped garlic
2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 Tablespoons dry white wine
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 tsp Tabasco hot pepper sauce
1 tsp herbes de Provençe
1/2 tsp salt
1 chicken (about 3 1/2 lbs)

For the crust: Mix all the ingredients in a small bowl.

Preheat the oven to 450°F. With a kitchen shears or sharp knife, cut alongside the backbone of the chicken to split it open. Spread and press on the chicken with your hands to flatten it. Using a sharp paring knife, cut halfway through both sides of the joints connecting the thighs and drumsticks and cut through the joints of the shoulder under the wings as well. (This will help the heat penetrate these joints and accelerate the cooking process.)

Put the chicken skin side down on a cutting board and spread it with about half the mustard mixture. Place the chicken flat in a large skillet, mustard side down. Spread the remaining mustard on the skin side of the chicken. Cook over high heat for about 5 minutes, then place the skillet in the oven and cook.