It was one of those bone-chilling Vermont days, the kind where frost clings to the windows and the air outside bites with subzero intensity. I was searching for a dish that would not only warm the house but also bring deep, satisfying comfort to my belly. Flipping through Richard Olney’s Lulu’s Provençal Table, I stumbled across a simple roast chicken recipe I had somehow overlooked for years—infused with ginger, citrus, and fresh herbs. I’ve always been drawn to home-cooked meals built around a few well-chosen ingredients, and this felt like the perfect choice for a day like this—something to fill the kitchen with warmth and an aroma that makes winter feel inviting.

This recipe is based on Lulu’s, with a few small modifications to suit my own tastes. As the chicken roasted, the oven cast its gentle heat through the house, and the scent of ginger and herbs filled every corner. The final step—tossing macaroni in the chicken’s roasting juices—reinforced the homeyness of the dish in the way only simple farmhouse cooking can.

Lulu’s Roast Chicken with Ginger
roasted chicken with macaroni tossed in roasting juices

Ingredients:

• 1 farmhouse chicken (approx. 3.5 to 4 lbs)

• Sea salt, to taste

• Black pepper, to taste

• 1 teaspoon Herbes de Provence

• 1 teaspoon Espelette pepper

• 2 tablespoons minced ginger root

• 2 strips dried orange peel

• Generous handful of fresh herbs (I used thyme, tarragon, savory, sage, oregano, and rosemary)

• ½ cup white wine

• 1 tablespoon fruity olive oil

• 4 to 6 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

• 1 cup tomato purée, see notes

• 8 ounces macaroni, cooked al dente in boiling salted water

• ¼ cup shredded Gruyère

• 1 tablespoon good butter

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F (218°C).

2. Generously season the chicken inside and out with sea salt, black pepper, Herbes de Provence, and Espelette. Season the cavity with the ginger and stuff the orange peel and fresh herbs inside.

3. Place the chicken breast-side down on a wire rack over a sheet pan and roast for 40 minutes. Flip the chicken breast-side up and continue roasting for another 40 minutes. Once out of the oven, let the bird rest upright for 20 minutes before carving. This allows the juices to redistribute, ensuring the meat remains incredibly tender.

4. While the chicken is resting, deglaze the sheet pan with wine, scraping up all the bits stuck to the pan. In a large pan, heat the olive oil and garlic over medium heat and cook until the garlic just starts to brown, about 3 minutes. Add the deglazed pan juices and tomato purée and heat until it comes to a boil. Add the macaroni and toss well, ensuring everything is coated. Adjust seasoning as needed, then add the cheese and butter, stirring to incorporate.

5. Carve and serve the bird table side. Arrange the breasts, wings, thighs, and legs around the macaroni and serve.

Notes:

I grow far too many tomatoes, so I roast the extras with olive oil and salt, then run them through a food mill and freeze the puree to bring a taste of summer to the table in winter. If you don’t have homemade tomato puree on hand, a light, not-too-thick homemade tomato sauce will work just as well.