Roast Tarragon-Cognac Chicken
The roasting technique itself could hardly be simpler: Salt the bird, let the skin dry out a bit, then coat it with softened butter and tarragon, and roast at 400 degrees. When the chicken is cooked through, turn off the heat and baste with the Cognac and pan juices. Let it rest for 10 minutes in the cooling oven to absorb all the flavors, then carve, douse the meat and bronzed skin with plenty of buttery, schmaltzy, herby drippings, and serve.
There are very few ingredients, so use quality ones…
Ingredients
1 (4-pound) whole chicken
2 teaspoon coarse gray sea salt or 2½ teaspoons kosher salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 bunch fresh tarragon, leaves and tender stems coarsely chopped (about ¾ cup)
2 tablespoons Cognac
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Preparation
Pat the chicken dry and salt the bird inside and out. Transfer to a plate or baking dish, preferably on a rack, and refrigerate uncovered for at least 1 hour or overnight.
When ready to cook the chicken, heat the oven to 400 degrees.
In a small bowl, combine butter, tarragon, 1 tablespoon Cognac and the pepper. Rub mixture inside the chicken cavity and over and under the chicken skin.
Place chicken on a rimmed sheet pan or in a large, ovenproof skillet. Roast, breast side up, until the skin is golden and crisp, and the juices run clear when you insert a fork in the thickest part of the thigh (165 degrees), about 1 hour.
Turn off the oven – don’t skip this step, as you don’t want the Cognac to overheat and catch fire – and transfer the pan with the chicken to the stovetop. Pour the remaining 1 tablespoon Cognac over the bird and baste with some of the buttery pan juices. Immediately return the chicken to the turned-off oven and let rest there for 10 minutes before carving and serving.
Keywords: Main Chicken Poultry
