Cheese-Crusted Chicken with Cream

Yield: 4 servings

4 pound broiler-fryer chicken
1 tablespoon butter, melted
5 ounces gruyere cheese, shredded
1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
3/4 cup heavy cream

Remove chicken neck and giblets; reserve for other uses. Pull off and discard lumps of fat. Rinse chicken inside and out, then pat dry. Brush skin with butter. Place chicken, breast up, on a rack in a 12 x 15-inch roasting pan. Roast, uncovered, in a 375 degree F oven until a meat thermometer inserted in thickest part of thigh (not touching bone) registers 185 degrees F, or until meat at thigh bone is no longer pink (cut to test), about 1 hour.

Using poultry shears or a knife, cut chicken into quarters. Arrange pieces, skin side up and slightly apart, in a shallow ovenproof serving dish (use a 9 x 13-inch rectangular or 12- to 15-inch oval dish). Sprinkle with 3/4 cup of the cheese. Return to oven and turn off heat. Skim and discard fat from pan drippings. Stir in mustard and 3/4 cup of the cream; bring to a boil over high heat and boil, stirring, until shiny bubbles form 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat, add remaining 1/2 cup of cheese, and stir until cheese is melted and sauce is smooth (if necessary, thin sauce with a little more cream). Keep sauce warm.

Broil chicken 4 to 5 inches below heat until cheese is bubbly, about 1 minute. Pour sauce around chicken.

Per Serving: 957 Cal (71% from Fat, 29% from Protein, 1% from Carb); 68 g Protein; 74 g Tot Fat; 1 g Carb; 0 g Fiber; 410 mg Calcium; 5 mg Iron; 201 mg Sodium; 375 mg Cholesterol