Pan Roasted Chicken with Wilted Greens, Mashed Potatoes and a Natural Pan Sauce

– recipe by Chef Bruce Moffett, Barrington’s Restaurant, Charlotte

Ingredients

• 1 – 3-4lb chicken (fryer)
• 2 large White Potatoes
• 1/2 cups Heavy Cream
• 1/2 stick of Butter
• Salt and white pepper to taste
• 2 bunches fresh Spinach
• 2 Cloves of thinly sliced Garlic
• 1 T Olive Oil
• 2 cups of Chicken Stock
• 2T Butter

For the Chicken:
Bone entire chicken.
Season chicken with salt and pepper and place skin side down in a smoking sauté pan. Cook over high heat until the skin starts to brown. Place in a 450 degree oven for about 20 minutes or until the breast meat is no longer pink. Pull the breast out of the pan and allow it to rest (skin side up) until you finish the sauce.

For the sauce:
Deglaze roasting pan with chicken stock and reduce until the sauce coats the back of a spoon. Next, whisk in butter and adjust the flavor with salt and pepper.

For the Mashed Potatoes:
Cover whole Idaho potatoes (skin on) with cold water. Place on a burner at low heat for about an hour or until the potato is fork tender. When the potatoes are tender, drain water and peal the skins with a paring knife. Next, rice the potatoes. Meanwhile, melt the butter with the cream and add to the freshly riced potatoes. Adjust the seasoning with salt and white pepper.

For the Spinach:
In a small pot over medium-high heat, brown the garlic in the olive oil. Add the spinach and gently stir until the leaves are tender. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.