INGREDIENTS

For the Soup:

• 1 (4 lb) whole chicken, neck and giblets removed, interior cleaned
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt, divided
• 1/2 yellow onion
• 4 whole cloves
• 8 sprigs fresh thyme
• 4 fresh bay leaves
• 5 sprigs fresh tarragon
• 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons salted butter
• 3 leeks, outer layers removed, cut into 2” pieces, greens discarded
• 3 large carrots, peeled and cut into 2” oblique pieces
• 3 small turnips, peeled and cut in sixths
• 2 cups yellow boiler onions, trimmed and peeled
• 12 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 teaspoons freshly cracked black pepper
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 8 cups chicken bone broth
• Additional kosher salt, to taste
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges
• 3 tablespoons fines herbes, divided
• 1 1/2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, minced
• 1 tablespoon chives, minced
• 1/2 tablespoon tarragon, minced

For the French White Sauce:

• 3 tablespoons flour
• 3 tablespoons salted butter
• 2 cups broth, from Poule au Pot
• 1 egg yolk
• 3 tablespoons crème fraîche
• 1 tablespoon fines herbes
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the Rice:

• 1 cup long grain white rice, rinsed thoroughly
• 2 cups water
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 garlic cloves, lightly smashed

HOW TO MAKE IT

1. To prepare the chicken, thoroughly pat dry and truss it tightly with kitchen twine. Season all over with 1 tablespoon kosher salt.
2. In a 7qt dutch oven, heat the olive oil on medium high heat. Once hot, add your chicken, breast side down to the pot and let sear until golden. Flip and sear both sides, as well as the back of the chicken to get even browning all over, about 5 minutes per side. Remove from the pot and set aside.
3. Prepare a bouquet garni with a large square of cheesecloth and kitchen twine. Peel a 1/2 yellow onion and then pierce the skin with the 4 cloves. Add the clove-pierced onion, thyme, bay leaves, tarragon, and rosemary to the cheesecloth, wrap and secure tightly with the kitchen twine.
4. To the same dutch oven, add the butter and let it melt. Add the turnips, flat side down, and sear for 4 minutes, or till golden brown. Flip and sear the other side to match.
5. Add the garlic and black pepper. Saute with the turnips until fragrant, around 2 minutes.
6. Add the white wine to the pot and deglaze, scraping up any browned bits off the bottom of the pot. Simmer until the wine is reduced by half.
7. Add the leeks, carrots, pearl onions, and bouquet garni. Return the seared chicken to the pot, breast side up and centered. Add the chicken stock to fill and cover the chicken 3/4 of the way. Add additional water or stock as needed to ensure the correct chicken coverage. Bring the pot to a boil, then drop to a low simmer and cover the pot offset, leaving the lid slightly ajar to allow steam to release. There should be slow, visible bubbling at the surface of the pot.
8. Cook for 1 to 1 1/2 hours on a gentle simmer until the chicken is tender and registers 165°F in the very center.
9. Remove the lid and discard the bouquet garni. Remove the chicken and set aside on a cutting board to rest for 3 minutes then carve into desired portions. Taste the broth and add additional salt and pepper to taste.
10. Make the Rice: Add the rice, water, bay leaf, and garlic to a medium saucepan, mix well. Place over medium high heat and bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, cover and reduce the heat to very low. Leave the rice to gently simmer and steam until the rice is tender and fluffy, approximately 20-25 minutes. If your heat is too high, you may remove the pot from the heat sooner and let the rice continue to steam off the heat for the remainder of the cooktime. Fluff before serving.
11. Make the French White Sauce: To a small saucepan on medium heat, add the butter and let fully melt. Add the flour and whisk vigorously until fully combined and a roux is formed. Continue to whisk over heat for 2 minutes, then reduce the heat to low. With a sieve over the small pot, ladle in 2 cups of the broth from the Poule au Pot. Whisk very well until a smooth, thick sauce is formed. Remove from heat and set aside. In a small, separate bowl, add the egg yolk and creme fraiche and whisk together. Add a small amount of the sauce in the saucepan to the creme fraiche mixture and whisk well to temper. Add the tempered creme fraiche mixture to the saucepan and whisk well till fully combined. Finish the sauce with 1 tablespoon fines herbes, as well as salt and pepper, to taste.
12. To plate the Poule au Pot, serve the chicken and vegetables over rice and ladle the broth on top through a fine mesh sieve. Sprinkle with remaining fines herbes and finish with a squeeze of lemon. Serve with French White Sauce drizzled on top of the chicken, or served on the side.