Hatch Valley Roast Chicken

This recipe for roast chicken, a perennial Sunday dinner favorite, utilizes the distinctive flavors of southern New Mexico in order to insure that moist and slightly spicy meat is the result.  The addition of pungent sage, an herb whose flavor mellows during cooking, helps balance the chiles delectable heat.

Ingredients:
1 6 pound whole chicken, giblets removed
3 tbsp. fresh sage, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, pressed
3 roasted Hatch chiles, peeled, stem and seeds removed, finely chopped
5 tbsp. butter, at room temperature
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
3 large sweet potatoes, diced into small cubes
1/4 cup flour

To Make:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Begin by combining sage, garlic, Hatch chiles, salt, pepper, and butter in a medium bowl.  With a fork, mix well until mixture is thoroughly combined.  Next, place the chicken in a large roasting pan.  Using a very sharp knife, slice 3 inch long slits into the skin of thetu chicken on both sides, being careful not to cut into the flesh.  Focus especially on the skin covering the breasts and thighs.  Next, using your fingers, slide dabs of the sage chile butter mix into the "pockets" between the skin and flesh, pushing deep into the slits, being careful not to tear the skin.  Spread any remaining sage butter mixture on the outside of the skin on both sides of the chicken.

Place roasting pan in the middle rack of the preheated oven and surround the chicken with the sweet potato cubes.  Cook at 350 degrees, covered, for about two hours.  Remove cover and continue to roast the chicken, until skin is golden brown and slightly crispy, about twenty minutes more.  Take the pan out of the oven and, using tongs, lift the chicken out of the pan and place it on a cutting board.  Using a slotted spoon, remove sweet potatoes from the pan and drop them in a large serving bowl.

Now it is time to make the gravy.  Place roasting pan on a large burner set to medium low.  When juices start to bubble, add 1/4 cup flour and 2 tbsp. white wine, and stir constantly with a whisk for about five minutes.  When gravy is fairly thick but still runny, without lumps, then you know you are done with this step. Pour gravy into a serving bowl and prepare to spoon it over everything on your plate.

This recipe serves five comfortably.  Serve the roasted chicken and sweet potatoes with some sauteed green beans or steamed broccoli to make a complete meal.