Tarragon Roasted Chicken

Tarragon Roasted Chicken

Ingredients:

1 whole roasting chicken, 5-7 lb.s
1 stick of unsalted butter, softened
3 tablespoons chopped tarragon and 2 whole sprigs
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large shallot, minced
1 tablespoon of flour
1-2 cups chicken stock
1 cup dry white wine

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Place a whole roasting chicken in a roasting pan with a rack.

Mix the softened butter (not melted), the herbs, garlic, lemon peel, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Lift-up the skin on the chicken and begin stuffing the herb butter underneath and on top of the skin. Place the sprigs of tarragon in the cavity. Place the chicken in the roasting pan and pour 1 cup of the chicken stock in the bottom of the pan. Roast for 15 minutes and then reduce the oven temperature to 375 and add more stock. Roast for another 60 minutes or longer checking to maintain some liquid on the bottom of the pan. The chicken is done when the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Remove from the oven and let sit for 10 minutes covered loosely with foil.

While the chicken is roasting, place the olive oil in a sauce pan over medium-low heat and saute the shallot for 5 minutes on low. Sprinkle flour over the shallots, pour in the wine and add 1 cup chicken stock and simmer for 5 minutes. Then add the drippings from the pan and simmer another 2-3 minutes. Add additional chopped tarragon to the sauce. Carve the chicken and serve the sauce on the side. Serves 4-6 people.

Wine pairing choices:

White: Ferrari-Carano Chardonnay 2007
Red: Domaine La Manarine Cotes Du Rhone 2007