NEW YORK — Compiling her new book was a long labor of love, Linda Arnaud says.

        From an enthusiastic cook and collector of chicken-themed art objects, whose dinner guests nicknamed her “the chicken lady,” the book's title springs no surprise. It's The Artful Chicken (Stewart, Tabori & Chang; $29.95) and a gorgeous array of chicken illustrations embellishes the recipes therein.

        “This book is meant as a celebration of the fine food and art of the chicken,” the introduction says.

        Ms. Arnaud started cooking chicken “way back when,” she said in a recent interview. Her reasons are crisply summarized. “I chose to make chicken because I preferred it. It's easy to do and it carries flavor perfectly,” she said.

        Ms. Arnaud, who lives in New York, is a consultant to a food product development company. She has an art-studies background, and has lived, worked and cooked in France and England.

        As anyone who starts to leaf through the book will see, it colorfully combines devotion to chicken-on-the-plate with a collector's selective eye.

        Each turn of a page brings to view another charming or exotic bird, in collage or vignette. Ceramic chickens. Painted, embroidered and sculpted chickens. Chickens molded in glass. Always decorative and often functional, the parade includes plenty of handsome tureens, vases and salt-and-pepper shakers. The color photographs are the work of Ms. Arnaud's husband, Michel Arnaud.

        Many of the chicken objects belong to Ms. Arnaud. An avid collector, she explains some overlap: “A lot of my chicken collection is actually part of one of my other collections. I also collect blue and white china, salt and pepper shakers, different kinds of fabrics” — all of which can have chicken-inspired motifs or forms.

        Ms. Arnaud's chicken recipes were accumulated over the years from family and friends and from places she has lived.

        “I'm not a fine chef; I'm a good home cook. I'd say 90 percent of my recipes are quick and easy to make.” Being a professional woman guided the formulation of her recipes and cooking style. “Most of them are easy to follow, easy to do, with a few that are more complicated, for special occasions.”

        She offers one or two basic pointers for shoppers: “I would use a brand chicken. When you're shopping at the supermarket, the only thing I advise is to look carefully at the packaging, to make sure it is clean and the wrapping unbroken.” If the supermarket does a lot of business, with a quick turnover, that's an advantage.

        The book has an appendix on chicken safety basics, with advice on good hygiene and handling practices.

        The following recipe for roast chicken is adapted from the traditional Sunday dinner Mr. Arnaud's French mother-in-law used to prepare. To make it in the United States, Linda Arnaud says she looks for free-range or organically fed roasters. Serve it with potato gratin and green beans, and offer stuffed eggs as an hors d'oeuvre.

Madame Arnaud's Roast Chicken

       5 1/2- to 6-pound whole free-range roaster
       Kosher or coarse sea salt
       Cracked black pepper
       4 sprigs fresh thyme
       1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
        1/2 cup chicken broth or stock
        1/2 cup dry red wine
       1 large carrot, scrubbed and cut into chunks
       1 medium onion, cut into 1/4-inch slices
       1 tablespoon of unsalted butter (optional)

        Preheat the oven to 450 degrees, setting the rack at the middle level.

        Season the cavity of the chicken with salt, pepper and 2 sprigs of the thyme. Rub the outside with the softened butter and season with salt, pepper, and the leaves of the remaining sprigs of thyme.

        Combine the broth and wine in a measuring cup or pitcher. Scatter the carrot chunks and onion slices on the bottom of a roasting pan.

        Place the chicken breast side up on the adjustable roasting rack and set it in the pan. Roast for 10 minutes.

        Baste with about 2 tablespoons of the wine and broth mixture and turn the chicken on its side. Baste, and roast for 10 minutes. Baste again and turn the chicken on its other side. Baste and roast for an additional 10 minutes.

        Lower the temperature to 350 degrees, baste again, and roast for 15 minutes. Baste, turn the chicken onto its other side, and continue roasting for 15 minutes.

        Turn the chicken breast side up and baste. Continue roasting for an additional 40 to 50 minutes or until done, basting every 10 to 15 minutes.

        Transfer the chicken to a carving board and let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes.

        Pour the accumulated cooking juices and vegetables from the roasting pan into a small saucepan, add the pat of butter, and place over low heat, keeping the mixture warm.

        Carve the chicken and arrange the pieces on a serving platter. Pour the sauce through a fine sieve, pressing down on the vegetables to extract the liquid, into a warmed sauce boat. Pass the sauce at the table. Makes 6 servings.

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