Ingredients

The following ingredients have 5 Servings
  • 90g/3½oz butter
  • large handful fresh tarragon leaves, chopped
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1 x 1.75kg/3½lbs free-range chicken
  • 125ml/4½fl oz white wine

Instruction

  • Preheat the oven to 220C/200C Fan/Gas 7.
  • Mash the butter and two-thirds of the tarragon together in a small bowl and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir in the crushed garlic.
  • Place the chicken into a roasting tin and rub the herb and garlic butter all over the outside and inside of the chicken.
  • Pour the wine into the roasting tin and place the tin into the preheated oven. Roast for 15 minutes, then turn the heat down to 190C/170C Fan/Gas 5 and roast for a further 40 minutes, basting the bird from time to time with the juices from the pan, adding a little more wine or water if the tin becomes too dry.
  • When the chicken is golden-brown and cooked through (pierce the chicken at the thickest part of the thigh - the juices should run clear), turn the oven off and leave the chicken to rest for ten minutes before carving.
  • Add the remaining chopped tarragon to the roasting juices in the tin, stir well and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
  • To serve, carve the chicken and pile the slices onto serving plates. Drizzle over pan juices and serve immediately.