Boursin Roasted Chicken

FRIDAY!! Hip-hip-hooray!! For some reason, I have been a day ahead all week in my mind. I hate when I am so excited that it is Friday only to look at a calendar and realize it is in fact Thursday. Not to mention this week was the first week back in school for the girlie's since the 3-week-we-were-sick-the-whole-time-trackout. So, needless to say, our sleep schedule hasn't adjusted yet...just in time to change the clocks this weekend.

Anyway...
I made this recipe before the plague descended on our home. It was un-freaking-believable! This recipe is easy enough to make weeknights or fancy-pants enough for guests. If you have never had Boursin cheese, you are missing out! It is a super creamy, herb-y, garlic-y cheese that makes an appearance at our house A LOT. You can buy it most anywhere, but I have found the best prices for it to be at Trader Joe's, Costco, or Sunflower Market. The cheese makes such a luscious coating to the chicken, leaving it super moist and flavorful. Then the sauce that is left on the bottom of the baking dish is to die for. OH, btw, that is not lumpy mashed potatoes you see there, it is lumpy Mashed Cauliflower (doin' the whole low-carb/Paleo-ish thang)...I do not have an immersion blender (gasp) or a food processor (double gasp).
Anyway...
Definitely give this recipe a try...it is amazing!

Boursin Roasted Chicken
Recipe Source: Emeril Lagasse

• 1 TBSP Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 (3 1/2 to 4-pound) whole chicken
• Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper
• 2 (5.2-ounce) packages Boursin Cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Coat the bottom of a roasting pan or shallow casserole dish with the oil.
Rinse the chicken well under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels. Season the chicken well, inside and out, with salt and pepper. Place the chicken in the prepared roasting pan and place 1 whole block of cheese inside the cavity of the chicken. Cut the remaining block of cheese into fourths and pat 1/4 of the cheese spread over the breast portion of the chicken. Allow the remaining 3/4 of the block of cheese to sit out at room temperature while the chicken is roasting.
Place the roasting pan in the center of the oven. After about 10 minutes, once the cheese has softened and begun to melt on the top of the chicken, remove the pan from the oven, and using the back of a spoon, spread the Boursin all over the chicken. Return the pan to the oven and roast for 25 minutes, until the chicken is golden brown on top.
Remove the pan from the oven and turn the chicken over so the back is now facing up. A small amount of cheese will probably begin to ooze out of the chicken cavity at this point, so take a bit of it and spread it all over the back side of the chicken. Return the pan to the oven and roast until the back side of the chicken is golden brown, about 25 minutes.
Remove the pan from the oven one more time. Reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees F and turn the chicken over again, so the breast is once again facing up. Continue to cook until the chicken is done, 20 to 30 more minutes. Test for doneness by inserting a knife at one thigh joint and making sure that the juices run clear.
Remove the chicken from the oven and transfer to a platter or cutting board. Set aside, loosely covered with aluminum foil. Carefully remove and discard as much rendered fat from the roasting pan as possible. Add 1/2 cup hot water and the remaining cheese to the roasting pan. Remove any remaining melted cheese from the cavity of the chicken and add to the roasting pan.
Carve the chicken into serving pieces, allowing the juices from the chicken to run onto the platter. Add the juices to the roasting pan and mix well with the Boursin, drippings, and water. Serve the sauce spooned over the carved chicken.
ENJOY!

This recipe has been linked at:
Tidy Mom
Simply Sweet Home
The Country Cook
Jennifer Cooks