Lunch: Champagne-Can Chicken

Recipe by Cheryl Slocum This high-class version of an old tailgate favorite — beer-can chicken — subs champagne for the beer and flavors the poultry with fragrant herbes de Provence.

Ingredients

2 tbsp. herbes de Provence
1 whole Chicken
1 1/2 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 1/4 c. champagne or sparkling wine
2 c. low-sodium chicken broth
salt
Pepper

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F with a rack set in lower third of oven. In a small dish, combine herbes de Provence, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 3/4 teaspoon pepper. Set aside.
Remove neck and giblets from chicken; set neck aside and discard giblets. Rinse chicken inside and out, then pat dry with paper towels. Rub chicken cavity and skin with butter, then rub cavity with reserved herb mixture. Tuck wing tips under bird and set chicken aside.
Pour champagne into an emptied and rinsed-out 12-ounce beer or soda can. Stand can in center of a medium roasting pan and place chicken's cavity over can so that the bird sits upright in pan. Place neck in pan.
Roast chicken, basting every 20 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer reaches 167 degrees F when inserted into thickest part of thigh, about 1 1/2 hours. Keeping chicken and can upright, remove both from pan. Carefully remove and discard hot can. Transfer chicken to a cutting board and let rest for 15 minutes before carving.
Meanwhile, pour pan drippings into a fat separator, or alternatively skim, and discard fat. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine defatted drippings, neck, and chicken broth and bring to a boil. Continue boiling until liquid is reduced to 2 cups, about 20 minutes. Strain jus, discarding neck bone. Serve chicken with jus on the side.

Share Champagne-Can Chicken