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82 Comments
Monte M.
April 26, 2017
I wrote extensively about how I loathed this recipe and how much better one by Richard Olney is. It is very much the same idea only a far better execution than Mr. Oliver's. If you'd like to see it, here's the link...http://www.chewingthefat.us.com/2015/04/a-tale-of-two-chickens-jamie-olivers.html
Gardener-cook
April 26, 2017
I am a fan of the genius recipes, but not this one. The bland curdled sauce was not "strangely appealing" but just strange. There are so many better things to do with a chicken.
Ann
April 25, 2017
I totally agree with Monika. This recipe is a huge disappointment, especially after all the hype. I found the flavors completely lackluster. I simply don't get the appeal.
Monika
April 25, 2017
Firstly, it is not Jamie Oliver's recipe -- it is in a River Café cookbook -- he got it from Ruth Rogers and Rose Gray recipe when working at their River Café. It is a chicken version of the classic North Italian pork dish, Arrosto Di Maiale al Latte. I have tried making it several times over the years, but it never seems to impress. It turns out bland and ho-hum. With all the great reviews out there, I have always thought there must be something I am missing, something I am not doing right, but no. Maybe it works better with the original pork? There are so many more amazing chicken recipes that my family wants to eat instead -- Laurie Colwin's roast mustard chicken pieces (the best "fried" chicken ever!). Or chicken in Riesling. Or chicken with green olives and preserved lemons.
Gardener-cook
April 26, 2017
I tried the Marcella Hazan version with pork, and it was just as uninteresting as the chicken.
Jenny J.
April 21, 2016
I was excited to try this and followed it to the letter but the whole dish tasted like hand lotion. Just not to my taste, the whole combo of sage, lemon and cinnamon just grossed me out. I'm sure a sub of coconut milk would have helped some.
Vicki P.
April 14, 2016
The good news is that the chicken was moist. I roasted it the first 45 min. covered based on my reading. The chicken had the gentle taste of garlic, cinnamon, and herbs. I couldn't taste the lemon. I find the look of the separated milk curd unappetizing so removed it to the extent possible. I strained the sauce twice to remove herbs and curd. I added a cup of sliced crimini mushrooms to the sauce and poached them until tender. It turned out to be a good sauce for the chicken. When I browned the chicken I used half olive oil and half butter. I used 2.5 cups of whole milk. The recipe is very easy to throw together and my friends all liked the finished product.
Karla
February 28, 2016
Can this be made with a Perdue Oven stuffer roaster? or should I use a whole frying chicken? Has anyone made this with split parts of a chicken? ie, leg or breast quarters?
Monte M.
February 28, 2016
I implore you to read this before you start this recipe...http://www.chewingthefat.us.com/2015/04/a-tale-of-two-chickens-jamie-olivers.html
Lynette M.
January 4, 2016
Could you do this in a pressure cooker?
Monte M.
January 4, 2016
I wouldn't cook it at all...I think it's particularly awful. This is especially true when I compared it to a very similar recipe from Richard Olney...here's a link to that one....http://www.chewingthefat.us.com/2016/01/chicken-breasts-with-tomatoes-and.html
Julie-Anne
April 26, 2017
Haha! With the NY Times article the other day, I guess this is getting more comments. Came back to read them and checked out your blog entry. I do not think you're crazy for not liking it. I've made it 3 times now and the most recent time was more "eh" than the first two times, which somehow were tastier. I still like it, but agree it's not the "greatest chicken ever" and I can totally see how people would find it unappealing. Look forward to trying the Olney recipe!
Jonathan W.
November 4, 2015
My mother made this recipe about 30 years ago but there was one difference instead of cinnamon she used Madagascan green peppers and it's dry cousin black pepper.
pidgeon92
October 7, 2015
I've been making this recipe for years, and just happen to have a chicken defrosting on this counter to make this very meal tonight. I've found that I need a bit more milk, so I use 12oz. I grate the lemon zest rather than use big strips, and then a slice the lemons and stuff a few sliced in the chicken, and leave the rest floating the in milk. I throw in all the cloves from the garlic bulb, and often toss in small potatoes and carrots to round out the meal.
Eva V.
August 26, 2015
Although a fan of this recipe I much prefer The Kitchn's Asian twist on it: the milk is substituted by coconut milk and the herbs are also more Asiany (you know what I mean ;0)) http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-coconut-milk-chicken-98547. Instead of the potatoes called for in the recipe I use pumpkin. It's fragrant, comforting and delicious.
lacrema
February 16, 2015
I just made this the other day-- AMAZING! I added more garlic than called for and will probably do so again. We spread the cloves and the curds on sourdough baguette and served with lemon asparagus. SO easy and SO delicious!
Maryann
January 28, 2015
I have been looking at this recipe for a while but for some reason was a little reluctant to try it. Stuck inside on a snowbound afternoon, I decided to try it. Because I had a 5.5 pound chicken, I upped the liquid content (I used 2 Cups of 2% Milk and 1 Cup of Half and Half) and added 5 more garlic cloves. I also added some thyme sprigs. The chicken came out great but the sauce did not look very appetizing. So I used my immersion blender and that took care of the eye appeal (or lack thereof). Right before serving, I added a couple of squeezes of fresh lemon juice and a tablespoon or so of sherry. A great and easy dinner!
kim
January 27, 2015
Kris, upload the image to www.imgur.com, and then post the link here. Then we can see how it came out.
Kris S.
January 27, 2015
I made the Chicken last night I used butter. Other than that I followed to a T. I would use twice as much sage next time. The meal was great I used the sauce on steamed Aspg. it blended very well. Curds looked a little odd but the taste was fine. I would post a picture but I don't think I can ?! Looked like a cookbook photo !! Oh yea the smell is heavenly !! I made mashed garlic dill potatoes as well.
Monte M.
January 24, 2015
Dear Ann, I can't thank you enough for posting exactly how I felt after cooking this. And as you can see, I was a minority of one until you appeared. What do you think we did wrong?
nancy E.
January 24, 2015
Not every pallet is the same. We don't all have to like something. I do not like truffles and green peppers. I can't stand kale. That's alright. I'm sure you made the recipe as it should be, it just was not to your liking.
Ann
January 24, 2015
Hi Monte,
Like you, I made the recipe exactly as written, which I almost always do the first time I make anything. I think partly it was the huge hype surrounding this recipe. The accolades were pouring in, so naturally I was expecting the moon. What I got was, IMHO, an okay dish. Will I make it again? Probably not. Do I regret making it? No. We are it and shared cold leftover chicken--NOT the sauce--the next day for lunch. Nothing on the bird wasted. As Nancy so correctly stated, just not suited to our palates.
Like you, I made the recipe exactly as written, which I almost always do the first time I make anything. I think partly it was the huge hype surrounding this recipe. The accolades were pouring in, so naturally I was expecting the moon. What I got was, IMHO, an okay dish. Will I make it again? Probably not. Do I regret making it? No. We are it and shared cold leftover chicken--NOT the sauce--the next day for lunch. Nothing on the bird wasted. As Nancy so correctly stated, just not suited to our palates.
Monte M.
January 24, 2015
Ann, I think where we struggle here is that we start our adventure primed for "recipes that are nothing short of genius." Which is promised in the introduction and followed up with "The Kitchn's Executive Editor Faith Durand called it the best chicken recipe of all time." This is clearly one of the biggest cases of "Chacun a son gout" in history!
Ann
January 24, 2015
I thought this recipe was just okay. Not Genius in my books. The chicken itself was, undeniably, tender and moist, but the sauce wasn't outstanding. I didn't find it bitter but I did think it was very unappealing looking. I know I'm in the minority here, but this just didn't do it for me. I'm a big Jamie Oliver fan, but not this time. Sorry.
Jane H.
January 22, 2015
This was a fantastic recipe. The chicken was just absolutely delicious. The only change I made was that I browned the chicken in 1/2 stick of butter. Oh, I did use a whole cinnamon stick (about 3" long). (A note on the lemon zest...you must use a zester...pith of the lemon peel is bitter.)
Monte M.
January 20, 2015
I thought this was the biggest disappointment I have cooked in a long time. Certainly disappointing that it came from Jamie Oliver for whom I have nothing but respect. The sauce was inedible--nasty bitter taste and ruined, not only the chicken but the mashed potatoes I served it on. I went back and looked and followed the recipe precisely--no substitutions, no variations of any kind. I would love to know what I am missing here? I will say that the chicken itself was remarkably tender.
nancy E.
January 20, 2015
I do not know where you went wrong but you went wrong. There is nothing bitter or nasty about this dish. Perhaps you burnt the oil or butter you seared the chicken in.
Julie-Anne
January 20, 2015
What a bummer. I had a recipe go wrong last week and it's never fun when you've invested time and/or effort into producing something that just isn't any good. I am not sure what might be causing the bitterness. I'd first go to ingredients (was the oil rancid, was the lemon zest crazy bitter or "off", what about the sage?) and if not ingredients, then maybe something went wrong with the browning??? It really was a lovely recipe over here.
Monte M.
January 21, 2015
Thanks Nancy and Julie-Anne for taking the time to comment. The butter foamed and the chicken was beautifully browned. I now think that the pith of the lemon created this incredibly bitter taste. I think I should have used a smaller peeler or even a zester for the lemon rind. The good news is I was able to use the leftover chicken in some tostados I made and they turned out very well. Again, thanks for taking the time to write.
Eva V.
August 26, 2015
It could also have been the garlic Monte, it can sometimes turn bitter on you if you're not careful. Particularly older garlic.
Julie-Anne
January 20, 2015
Loved this recipe! I've made pork braised in milk many times but actually preferred this chicken version. The chicken was so moist. I used half butter/half oil and took the fat after browning and poured it in a pan for oven roasting carrots in the last half hour or so of roasting with a bit of salt. Delicious!
Sharon
January 18, 2015
Has anyone substituted coconut milk for whole milk?
MaureenOnTheCape
February 21, 2015
I would also like to know about non-dairy substitutes like almond or coconut milk. They surely won't curdle so I suspect only cow milk will do. Help anyone?
janet V.
January 18, 2015
Really good, but did not rock my world. I cooked my bird breast side down so the breast meat was very tender. Wasn't a fan of the curds, so I strained the sauce. If I make this again I would also reduce the sauce. Couldn't really taste the cinnamon, may add more next time. Also, I used one readers suggestion to zest the lemon then add the remainder thinly sliced, loved that. Also, it was not difficult to brown the bird provided you use Le Crueset and plenty of oil and/or butter.
Ann M.
January 17, 2015
This is a delicious go-to JO recipe for me. Very little prep, BUT beware! It requires 1.5 hrs over time!
ME
January 15, 2015
This chicken is absolutely delicious! I don't know what else I can say. Very, very satisfying with minimal effort
Susie M.
January 15, 2015
Has anyone done this with a duck? I'm thinking this would be really wonderful and the fat from a duck is actually healthier and richer than that of chicken.
Moshee
January 15, 2015
I've made it a few times. Delicious but your house will smell of milk. I think I'll try coconut milk next time.
Ruth G.
January 14, 2015
alternative to lemon zest for citrus-allergic people?
Lemons &.
January 14, 2015
Ruth, maybe you can look into sumac? It's a Middle-Eastern bush that's used as a spice with a tart/lemony flavor. I use it a lot it roast chicken. It might work here and you should be able to order it on Amazon.
Tim H.
January 14, 2015
Wondering if this would work as well with a pork roast, (I don't tolerate chicken fats for some odd reason these days). Seems like the fat may be a ket for this to interact with the curdled milk...
Windischgirl
January 19, 2015
My cousin emailed me this recipe today. I countered with Marcella Hazan's original, which does use a pork loin. I made a version with pork shoulder on Saturday, seasoning the milk with bay leaf and fresh rosemary. I also add in a couple of diced carrots and celery stalks (in lieu of onions, which dislike me)...that's a riff on a Rick Rodgers slow cooker recipe. Go for it, Tim!
Jeanne
January 14, 2015
My mother called her similar recipe "Dunkin' Chicken" because you used bread to get every bit of the sauce! Yum!
Ahuva
January 14, 2015
Does anyone know/think this would work with soy milk? I need a non-dairy option.
kitchenfish
January 14, 2015
Ditto :( lactic acid in soy? Hmm. What else could work? My partner is dairy free. This recipe looks so damn good I might have to just cook it and not tell him. That? Oh no that's not dairy. It's er... That's.... Ummm... Potato?
kara
January 14, 2015
Any thoughts on how to adapt for the slow cooker and with a cornish hen?
Windischgirl
January 19, 2015
Sure! Cook on low for probably about 4 hrs, depending on the size of your hen.
olivia.k
January 14, 2015
I think I will only use chicken thighs. More chicken breast for everyone else! Wondering, though, if this means adjusting the cooking time?
blmcmp
January 14, 2015
...A side of something green will straighten up your animal posture and brighten the plate... Love this! :)
pidgeon92
January 14, 2015
I have been making this recipe for years, and it is my favorite way to cook chicken. Last year I managed to burn my hand rather severely when turning the chicken over in the pot while browning it. It slipped off the tongs, and the oil/butter flew out of the pot. Please use oven mitts when turning your chicken, and keep your face away from the pot.
AnneonanAdventure
January 14, 2015
Terrible that this happened to you. A great warning to share. Thanks.
[email protected]
January 14, 2015
How about Rosemary instead of sage? Love the combo of Rosemary, Garlic & Lemon
pidgeon92
January 14, 2015
I don't see any reason not to substitute rosemary for the sage, but do try the sage some time, it's a really great flavor in this recipe. I freeze my sage from the garden specifically so I always have some on hand when I make this chicken recipe.
payalgp
January 14, 2015
would it be possible to make this with a whole chicken cut up in parts? or it has to be a whole chicken?
Stacey S.
January 14, 2015
I have made this so many times, and it is DELICIOUS!!! The ingredients list sure is a strange one, but it all works.......here is my post and delicious pics.http://www.staceysnacksonline.com/2014/01/jamie-olivers-roast-chicken-braised-in.html
kim
January 14, 2015
My husband has an intolerance to cinnamon. Can you think of anything we could as a substitute? Because this sounds Devine.
pidgeon92
January 14, 2015
I've never used the cinnamon, I don't think it was in the recipe that I have been using (from a cooking blog many years ago), and I have never found the taste to be lacking anything.
Sini |.
January 14, 2015
As Cynthia said, thanks for the reminder. Need to make this for dinner soon!
Cynthia C.
January 14, 2015
I LOVE. this recipe. LOVE. I've never made a roast chicken another way that I liked half as much. Thank you for reminding me that I need to make it again ASAP!!
FoodieDawn
January 14, 2015
What kind of milk?
pidgeon92
January 14, 2015
I use regular 2% milk. I upped the amount of milk to 12oz, for me it gives a better yield of the "sauce."
Allyn
January 14, 2015
I've made this before with coconut milk and it was still insanely delicious. Need to try the milk version soon, because I'm drooling over the memory.
Lori D.
January 14, 2015
So amazingly delicious! I doubled the recipe and added ziti and fresh spinach to the sauce for dinner the following day. Oh so good!
Awads
January 14, 2015
I actually made this a few weeks ago (insprired by faith durand) and liked it ok, but it was not life-altering. my husband thought it too lemony. i'd really like to give it another go, maybe using less lemon rind? i don't know what else to tweak...
pidgeon92
January 14, 2015
I grate the rind of a single lemon, then slice the lemon and add the slices to to chicken in the pot. I don't really notice the lemon flavor.
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