Million Dollar Chicken Recipe

(Photo credit: CarnalDish.com)

I must admit, that I’m skeptical every time I hear about a great sounding recipe name or recipe that goes viral. My immediate thought is, “is it really that good?” or “does it taste like that at home?”

So imagine my surprise when I made this “Million Dollar Chicken” recipe from Chef Resha of CarnalDish.com. When I tell you this chicken was on point, its an understatement! This is one of the best homemade chicken recipes I’ve ever tasted and received the most compliments on. So do yourself a flavor (see what I did there?!) and make this recipe.

INGREDIENTS:
3 cornish hens, about 2 to 2.5 lbs. each (SEE NOTE)
9 sprigs fresh thyme
3 sprigs fresh rosemary
3 cloves garlic, crushed
3 bay leaves
3 slices of lemon
1 tablespoon herbs de provence
3 tablespoons flaky kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
Olive oil
1-inch slices of artisan sourdough bread (SEE NOTE)

(Photo credit: CarnalDish.com)

Million Dollar Sauce
8 ounces (1 cup) plain creme fraiche
1 lemon, zested and juiced
2 teaspoons aleppo pepper
1 shallot, finely minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
Pinch of kosher salt and black pepper
Garnish: 1 tablespoon flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
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(Photo credit: CarnalDish.com)

INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Use a baking vessel that’s big enough to contain all of your chicken(s). In a small bowl or container, mix three tablespoons of kosher salt, one tablespoon of herbs de provence, and 1 teaspoon of black pepper together. This will be your seasoning blend.

Drizzle about 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large baking dish, stainless steel, or cast iron skillet. Layer the sour dough bread on the bottom.

Pat the skin of the hens dry with paper towels. Sprinkle a generous amount of the seasoning blend into the cavity of each hen. Stuff 3 sprigs of thyme, 1 sprig of rosemary, 1 smashed garlic clove, 1 bay leaf, and one slice of lemon into each hen. Drizzle about a tablespoon or two of olive oil all over the skin of each hen, then sprinkle more of the seasoning blend all over the surface of the bird. Truss the legs together with kitchen twine, and place each hen on top of the sourdough bread slices. Place the hens and bread into your preheated oven on the middle rack, and roast uncovered for 50 minutes.