# Roast Chicken with Spring Morel Ragout and Chicken-Fat-Roasted Bintje Potatoes > Golden roast chicken sits over a light ragout of morels, asparagus, and sweet spring peas, with lemon zest and parsley brightening the savory juices. Chicken-fat-roasted Bintje potatoes bring crisp edges and creamy centers—a generous late-spring Shabbat dinner. - URL: https://www.chezjk.com/recipes/roast-rootdown-farm-chicken-on-spring-veggie-morel-ragout-with-chicken-fat-bintj - Author: Jonathan Katzman - Cooked and photographed: 2026-05-29 - Recipe updated: 2026-10-23 - Serves: 4 servings - Tags: gluten-free, nut-free ![Roast Chicken with Spring Morel Ragout and Chicken-Fat-Roasted Bintje Potatoes](https://www.chezjk.com/api/images?path=9e5d6860-dd86-455e-b57b-e352c363fc57%2F73371d33e55e88cb.jpg) ## Golden Roast Chicken Roasting leg quarters at high heat renders the skin while keeping the dark meat juicy. A short rest supplies savory juices for the ragout without sacrificing the crisp skin. ### Ingredients - 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken leg quarters, about 3½–4 lb total - 12 g kosher salt - 1 tbsp olive oil - ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper ### Instructions 1. Pat the chicken thoroughly dry and season all over with the salt. If time allows, refrigerate uncovered for 8–24 hours; otherwise season while the oven heats. 2. Heat the oven to 425°F with racks in the upper and lower thirds. Rub the chicken with olive oil and pepper, then arrange skin-side up on a rack set over a rimmed roasting pan. 3. Roast on the upper rack for 45–55 minutes, rotating the pan if needed, until the skin is golden and the thickest part of the thigh reaches 175–185°F without the thermometer touching bone. Check that the thickest meat near the joint has reached at least 165°F. 4. Rest uncovered for 10 minutes. Reserve the resting juices and any clear, unburnt roasting juices for the ragout, skimming off excess fat. ### Notes - Keep the chicken skin above the ragout when serving so it stays crisp. ## Spring Vegetable and Morel Ragout Morels cook thoroughly in a light stock reduction before the green vegetables go in. Adding asparagus and snap peas at the end keeps their color and bite, while lemon cuts through the chicken's richness. ### Ingredients - 8 oz fresh true morel mushrooms from a trusted supplier - 1 lb asparagus, woody ends removed, cut into 1½-inch pieces - 8 oz sugar snap peas, strings removed, halved crosswise - 3 spring onions, white and pale green parts sliced - 2 tbsp ghee - 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced - ⅓ cup dry white wine - ¾ cup gluten-free unsalted chicken stock - 1 lemon, finely zested and juiced, divided - ¼ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley, divided - to taste kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper - as available skimmed cooked chicken roasting and resting juices ### Instructions 1. Split the morels lengthwise and inspect their hollow centers. Brush away debris, briefly rinse if gritty, and drain thoroughly on towels. Cut large mushrooms into substantial pieces. 2. Heat the ghee in a wide sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the morels and cook for 5–6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until their released moisture has mostly evaporated and the edges begin to brown. 3. Lower the heat to medium. Add the spring onions and cook for 3 minutes, then add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds. 4. Add the wine and simmer for 2 minutes. Pour in the stock and simmer gently for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the morels are fully tender. Do not taste them before they are thoroughly cooked. 5. Add the asparagus and simmer for 3 minutes. Add the snap peas and cook for another 2–3 minutes, until both vegetables are bright green and tender with a little bite. 6. Stir in a few spoonfuls of skimmed chicken juices. The liquid should lightly coat the vegetables rather than pool like soup; loosen with a splash of stock if needed. 7. Off heat, add 1 tablespoon lemon juice and half the parsley. Taste for salt, pepper, and additional lemon juice. Reserve the lemon zest and remaining parsley for plating. ### Notes - Use only positively identified true morels; they must be thoroughly cooked, never served raw or lightly warmed. - If the sauce is too thin, lift out the vegetables and mushrooms, reduce the liquid briefly, then return everything to the pan. ## Chicken-Fat-Roasted Bintje Potatoes A brief parboil makes the centers creamy and helps the cut surfaces crisp. Chicken fat gives the potatoes a deep savory flavor without competing with the morels. ### Ingredients - 2 lb Bintje potatoes, scrubbed, skin on, halved or quartered into 1½-inch pieces - 3 tbsp rendered chicken fat, melted - 1 tsp fine sea salt, plus more for boiling water - ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper ### Instructions 1. Heat the oven to 425°F. Put the potatoes in a saucepan, cover with cold salted water, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 7–10 minutes, until the outer edges soften but the centers still resist a knife. 2. Drain well and let steam-dry for 5 minutes. Shake the colander gently to roughen the cut edges without breaking up the potatoes. 3. Toss with the melted chicken fat, salt, and pepper. Spread on a large rimmed sheet pan with a flat cut side down and space between the pieces. 4. Roast on the lower rack for 40–50 minutes, turning after 25 minutes, until deeply golden outside and completely tender inside. Swap rack positions with the chicken if the potatoes need more browning. 5. Taste and adjust salt just before serving. ### Notes - If Bintje potatoes are unavailable, use small Yukon Gold potatoes cut to the same size. ## Overall Timing / Workflow Chicken and potatoes share the same oven temperature, while the ragout finishes during the chicken's rest. ### Instructions 1. Optional previous evening: salt the chicken and refrigerate uncovered. 2. 0:00 — Heat the oven to 425°F. Prepare the potatoes and start their parboil; season the chicken if not already salted. 3. 0:15 — Put the chicken in the oven. Drain and steam-dry the potatoes, then toss with chicken fat. 4. 0:20 — Put the potatoes in the oven. Clean the morels and cut the remaining vegetables. 5. 0:40 — Begin cooking the morels and ragout aromatics. Turn the potatoes around 0:45. 6. 1:00 — Start checking chicken temperature and potato tenderness. Rest the chicken when done; finish the green vegetables in the ragout and add the chicken juices. 7. 1:10–1:20 — Finish the ragout with lemon and parsley, check seasoning, and plate while the potatoes are crisp. ### Notes - Allow roughly 80–90 minutes total; larger leg quarters may take longer. ## Plating A shallow bed of ragout catches the chicken juices, while potatoes kept to one side retain their crisp surfaces. ### Instructions 1. Spoon the ragout onto four warm plates, distributing the morels visibly around the edges. 2. Set a chicken leg quarter skin-side up over each portion. Arrange the roasted potatoes alongside rather than underneath the sauce. 3. Scatter the reserved lemon zest and parsley over the chicken and vegetables. Spoon any remaining ragout juices around, not over, the crisp chicken skin. ## Leftover Path Separate storage makes it easier to re-crisp the potatoes and chicken without overcooking the spring vegetables. ### Instructions 1. Refrigerate the chicken, ragout, and potatoes in separate shallow containers within 2 hours. Use within 3–4 days. 2. Reheat chicken skin-side up in a 375°F oven until the center reaches 165°F. Re-crisp potatoes on a separate sheet pan in the same oven. 3. Warm the ragout gently in a saucepan with a splash of stock until hot throughout; avoid prolonged simmering. 4. Alternatively, shred the chicken into the remaining ragout and loosen with stock for a quick soup, serving the crisp reheated potatoes alongside. --- From ChezJK (https://www.chezjk.com), Jonathan Katzman's public home-cooking archive: every meal he has photographed, written up as a recipe you can cook.