Crispy Skillet Chicken with Charred Vegetables and Dijon Gravy

1. Preheat your oven

Adjust the oven rack to the center position and preheat to 450°F (230°C).

2. Prepare the vegetables

Place the potatoes and carrot chunks into a medium saucepan, cover them with cold salted water, and bring to a boil. Let them simmer until they are just tender, which should take about 10 minutes. This par-cooking step ensures the vegetables will be tender after roasting. Drain the vegetables and transfer them to a large bowl. Add the Brussels sprouts, season with salt and pepper, and toss with 2 tablespoons of olive oil.

3. Set up the broth base

Transfer the chicken backbone to the now-empty saucepan. Add the roughly chopped carrot, onion, celery, sage, and bay leaves to the saucepan and set it aside for now.

4. Season the chicken

Thoroughly season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper.

5. Sear the chicken

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large cast iron skillet over high heat until it is lightly smoking. Add the chicken pieces, skin side-down, and cook until they are deep golden brown, which should take about 8 to 12 minutes. Flip the pieces and brown the second side lightly for about 3 minutes. Searing the chicken locks in moisture and creates a flavorful crust. Once done, transfer the browned chicken to a plate.

6. Deglaze the skillet

Pour the white wine into the skillet, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon. Transfer the wine and any accumulated chicken juices to the saucepan with the chicken backbone.

7. Prepare the broth

Add the chicken stock to the saucepan with the backbone mixture. Bring it to a simmer, then reduce the heat to the lowest setting, cover, and let it bubble gently while the chicken roasts.

8. Roast chicken and vegetables

Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the skillet and heat over high heat until lightly smoking. Add the vegetable mixture to the skillet, then place the chicken pieces skin side-up on top of the vegetables. Roast in the oven until the chicken breast pieces reach 150°F (66°C) and the legs at least 165°F (74°C), removing the pieces as they finish cooking. This should take between 20 to 45 minutes.

9. Finish roasting the vegetables

Add the sliced shallot to the skillet with the vegetables, toss to combine, and return to the oven. Continue roasting until the vegetables are nicely browned, about 10 minutes.

10. Combine and serve

Remove the skillet from the oven and add the parsley, tossing to combine. Arrange the chicken pieces on top of the vegetables. Strain the broth from the saucepan into a small bowl, then whisk in the butter, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, and fish sauce. Season the jus to taste with salt and pepper. Serve the crispy chicken and charred vegetables with the Dijon gravy.