Roasted Chicken with Dijon Sauce

From inthekitchenwithkath.com

(Adapted from a recipe on smittenkitchen.com; originally from the March 2008 issue of Gourmet)

Serves 4

(For 2 servings, use 1½ - 1¾ pounds of chicken parts – 4 thighs work well - and cut the sauce ingredients in half)

3 pounds chicken parts, with skin and bones (cut large breast pieces in half)

1 tablespoon oil

2 small shallots, thinly sliced

¾ cup dry white wine

¾ cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

¼ cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon finely chopped chives or the green part of green onions

1. Preheat the oven to 450˚.

2. Heat an oven-proof 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat.

3. Add the oil and heat until it’s hot.

4. Add ½ of the chicken pieces and brown on both sides. This will take about 5 minutes.

5. Remove the first batch of chicken and brown the rest of the chicken pieces.

6. Put all of the pieces in the pan, skin-side up, and roast in the oven for 20 minutes.

7. Put the chicken on a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.

8. Add the shallots, wine, and broth to the pan. Stir well and cook over medium heat until it is reduced a bit, a couple of minutes.

9. Add cream and simmer for another minute. (At this point you can choose to boil it a bit more so it reduces and thickens some more. I didn’t mind the sauce being a bit thin.)

10. Strain the sauce if you want to remove the shallots. (I didn’t do this.) Stir in the mustard. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

11. Serve the sauce over the chicken and garnish with the chives or green onions.