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1
Slit the chickens up the breast and spread them out, skin side up.
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2
Flatten them with the broad side of a cleaver or your hand.
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3
Turn them over.
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4
With a sharp knife remove the breast bone and cut halfway through the backbone so that the chickens are nicely flat; this is simple to do, as the flattening process will have loosened the bones.
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5
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
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6
Butter a couple of roasting pans with a little of the melted butter.
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7
Put a chicken in each, skin side up.
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8
Do not be put off by their rather froglike appearance.
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9
Pour over each one 2 tablespoons melted butter and sprinkle them with 2 heaping tablespoons parsley and the scallions.
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10
Season.
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11
Cover with buttered wax paper or parchment and roast for about 40 minutes or until the juices run clear.
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12
Remove the paper and sprinkle each evenly with bread crumbs, baste with the pan juices and set the pans under a moderate grill - you will have to do one at a time, most likely - and leave them for 5 to 10 minutes to brown.
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13
Meanwhile, mix the remaining parsley with the shallots, tarragon, chervil, mustard, vinegar and oil, and season with salt and pepper.
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14
When the chickens are done cut each into four and serve with the sauce on the side.
