My son Michael loves this dish. He was always a very picky eater and now every time he comes home to visit he asks me to make this recipe. The combinations of Dijon mustard and lemon juice really give this dish a lift, but make sure to get the marinade completely under the skin for the best flavor. You can skip the brining process but you’ll miss out on wonderfully tender meat and a no-fail recipe. A Chablis or Pinot Blanc works well with the acidity of this dish.

Ingredients

• 1 large whole roasting chicken
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• ¼ cup olive oil
• ½ teaspoon ground dried sage
• ½ teaspoon ground dried marjoram
• ½ teaspoon ground dried thyme
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 1-2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions

1. Brine chicken.
2. Mix mustard, lemon juice, olive oil, sage, marjoram, thyme, salt and pepper in a small bowl and mix well. Spread all over chicken. Be sure to get mixture under the skin of the breasts. (Use the back of a teaspoon to easily separate the skin from the white meat.)
3. Place chicken on wire roasting rack in a roasting pan.
4. Cover potatoes with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place potatoes onto the bottom of the roasting pan.
5. Bake about 60 – 75 minutes, or until the temperature is above 165 °F and the juices run clear.
6. When done, remove from oven and let rest 10 minutes. Cut chicken into pieces and serve.