Chicken With Tarragon

Poulet À l'Estragon

Chicken with Tarragon is a summer roast when there is plenty of fresh tarragon available.

It can be made with dried tarragon but believe me it is so tasty when roasted with this freshly picked French herb.

It is an easy recipe and takes about an hour to an hour and twenty minutes to cook.

It will give your family a tasty and refreshing summer roast which you can serve with your favourite summer vegetables.

Magnificent Chicken With Tarragon

Ingredients

• 1 medium size fresh chicken (about 6lb)
  
• 2oz butter
• 3 tablespoons freshly chopped tarragon leaves
• 1/4 pint cream
• Salt and pepper

Method

• Cream about one tablespoon of the chopped tarragon into the butter either with a pestle and mortar or with a spoon in a small bowl.
• Season this with salt and pepper and stuff the chicken with this mixture.
• Place the chicken in a heavy bottomed roasting pan on it's side.
• Place in a pre-heated oven at  400°F/200°C/Gas 6
  
• Roast for about 15 minutes then turn the chicken on it's other side, basting with the melted butter.
• Continue to roast the chicken with the occasional turn and basting with the tarragon butter until it is cooked about 1 hour.
• When cooked, remove from pan and leave to stand on a warmed plate.

Sauce

• To make the sauce make a beurre manié by working a teaspoon of butter which has been blended with a teaspoon of flour, into the juices.
• Gradually add the cream to this mixture with two teaspoons of freshly chopped tarragon leaves.
• Bring the mixture to the boil and as soon as it thickens it is ready to serve and pour over the chicken. You can taste it at this stage and add salt and pepper if needed.

Your chicken can be served with a medley of your favourite summer vegetables such as new potatoes and French beans.

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