Ingredients:
3 whole chicken breasts, not split ( preferably organic)
1 lb baby spinach, stemmed and washed
1 head garlic
4 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
1 cup fresh basil leaves, stemmed and washed
2 lemons
1/4 cup sweet butter
1 1/2 cups dry white wine
2 lbs red potatoes
1/2 lb shiitake mushrooms, cleaned and woody stems removed,thinly sliced
1/2-1 cup chicken stock
salt and pepper
Directions:
Prepare medium sized roasting pan with rack by coating rack with olive oil (should be a roasting pan no larger than necessary to hold the three breasts and that can be placed on top of the stove for making the sauce)
Peel and roughly chop 4 cloves of garlic
Roughly chop spinach
Tear basil into small pieces
Place large skillet over high heat
When hot, add 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, chopped garlic, salt, spinach and basil
Grate fresh nutmeg into skillet
Stir fry until greeens are wilted and soft
Remove from heat and set aside to cool
Clean chicken breasts and remove any obvious clumps of fat or protruding skin
Preheat oven to 425 F
With your fingers, gently loosen skin from flesh of the chicken breasts
Again, gently, stuff greens mixture between the skin and the flesh of the breasts
Massage the surface of the breasts to evenly distribute the stuffing
Cut each lemon in half lengthwise (stem to end)
Rub the outside of the chicken breasts with butter
Squeeze the juice of one half of one lemon over the breasts and sprinkle the breasts with salt and pepper
Split the whole head of garlic into cloves; do not peel
Scatter the garlic gloves in the bottom of the roasting pan
Scrub potatoes; do not peel
If very small, leave whole; if larger, cut in half
Scatter potatoes in the bottom of the roasting pan
Place the three whole breasts, skin side down, on the oiled rack
Place a lemon half in the cavity of each breast
Roast 20 minutes
Baste with a third of the white wine
Carefully (without tearing the skin of the breast if possible) turn breast skin side up, placing lemon in cavity beneath each breast
Baste with pan juices
Roast another 20 minutes
Turn oven down to 375 F
Baste with pan juices; if there is not sufficient liquid in the pan, add more white wine and/or water
Roast another 10-12 minutes
Check for doneness
Remove from oven; tent with foil and allow to rest for at least ten to fifteen minutes
Remove excess fat from pan (there should be very little)
Remove potatoes and keep warm
Remove garlic cloves and squeeze out roasted garlic into the roasting pan
Place pan on stovetop over medium heat
Add mushrooms and allow to saute without stirring for 1 – 2 minutes
Turn mushrooms and saute another minute
Turn heat to high and add remaining wine and 1/2 to 1 cup of chicken broth
Scrape to deglaze and simmer until slightly reduced
Taste for seasoning
(Optional) Whisk in 1 – 2 Tablespoons of butter
Note: This is lovely served on a bed of steamed fresh spinach
Servings: 4
Time preparation: 20 min.
Time total: 110 min.