Mushroom-Stuffed Brick-Roasted Chicken with Red Potatoes and Arugula

For the Chicken:


4  2 1/2-pound chickens, halved and boned, or 4  8-oz skin-on, boneless breast halves
1/2 recipe Seared Wiled Mushrooms (recipe to follow)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil

For the Mushrooms:


1 lb wild mushrooms, preferably a mixture of oyster, chanterelle and lobster (I just used a pre packed mix and cooked each type separately)
Olive oil or canola oil, for sautéing
Kosher salt
Small bunch of fresh thyme
2 shallots, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon unsalted butter

For the Potatoes:


2 pounds 2-inch red potatoes
Kosher salt
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons whole grain Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
fresh ground black pepper
1/4 - 1/2 pound arugula

Potatoes:

Put the potatoes in a large pot and add enough water to cover by 2 inches. Season the water well with salt and bring to a boil. Cook until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife, 30 - 40 minutes.
Drain them and let the moisture steam off. When they're cool enough to handle, peel them if you wish. Cut into 1/2 inch thick slices.

In a medium sauté pan, whisk together the cream, stock and mustard. Reduce by one-third over high heat, about 5 minutes. Add the potatoes and toss to coat. Stir in the butter and season with salt and pepper to taste. When the cream comes to a simmer, add the arugula. Continue to cook until the arugula is completely wilted, about 45 seconds.


Mushrooms:


Slice the oyster mushrooms to 1/4 inch thick. Quarter or  halve chanterelles lengthwise to make pieces of a similar size. Slice lobster mushrooms 1/8 inch thick.

Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat for 20 to 30 seconds. Glaze the bottom of the pan wiht oil. Lay in the oyster mushrooms, taking care not to crowd the pan. Sprinkle the mushrooms with salt and add a few sprigs of thyme. Sauté, turning the mushrooms to brown them on both sides, about 6 minutes. Remove the mushrooms from the pan and set aside on a plate. check the pan to see if you need to add another glaze of oil. Repeat the sautéing of the mushrooms, cooking each variety independently, and seasoning each batch with salt and thyme.

When you're finished sautéing all of the mushrooms, add another glaze of oil to the pan if needed and add the shallot sand a sprinkle of salt. Cook for 30 seconds, then add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds. Add all of the mushrooms and the butter, stirring. When the butter has melted, the mushrooms are ready to serve.

Chicken:


Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Wrap 4 bricks in aluminum foil and place them in the oven.

Arrange a bone chicken half flesh side up on your cutting board. Lift the tenderloin from the breast and deepen the crease where it rests by pushing on it with your index finger. Stuff this area with some mushrooms, then fold the tenderloin back over the stuffing. (If using chicken breast halves instead, the process is the same.) Stuff the thigh and leg meat with mushrooms. Repeat with the other three chicken halves. Season them all liberally with salt and pepper.

Heat 2 large oven proof skillets over medium-high heat and add a tablespoon of oil to each. Put the chickens into the hot pans skin side down, top each with a brick, and cook for 7 - 10 minutes. Remove the bricks, flip the chickens, and roast in the oven until the temperature in the thickest part of the thigh reaches 160 degrees F, 7-10 minutes. Remove the birds from the oven, (place them over a bed of the potatoes and arugula) and let the chickens rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Recipe from: Michael Symon's Live to Cook: Recipes and Techniques to Rock Your Kitchen