Ingredients
The following ingredients have 5 Servings
- 1 4-5 pound chicken (preferably organic)
- 1 cup pitted prunes
- ½ cup + 1 tablespoon Armagnac or good Cognac
- extra virgin olive oil
- sea salt
- fresh ground pepper
- 20 medium shallots (about 3 cups)
- 1 cup chicken stock (plus more if necessary for gravy)
- 3-4 slices hickory smoked bacon
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter - softened
- 2 tablespoons flour
- ½ teaspoon dried tarragon
Instruction
- Place prunes in small bowl and cover with Armagnac or Cognac. Let soak for at least one hour or overnight.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Rinse and dry chicken. Salt inside of cavity liberally.
- Place a few shallots inside bird and around bird. Drizzle shallots with olive oil, salt and pepper. Tuck a few prunes inside bird and place the rest between shallots. Pour Armagnac and chicken stock over shallots and prunes.
- Generously pepper breast and legs of chicken. Cut bacon to fit and place over breast and legs. Tent with foil.
- Bake in a 400 degree oven for one hour, basting halfway through and tossing shallots and prunes with sauce so they do not dry out.
- Remove foil; turn heat up to 425 degrees, generously baste again, and roast for about 25-30 minutes more until bacon is crisp and breast is browned (basting several times during this period to keep breast juicy). Remove chicken and shallots to warmed serving platter.
- Mix together flour, butter and tarragon to make a smooth paste. Place roasting pan on top of stove over medium high heat and bring to simmer – bubbling very lightly. You should have about a cup and half of stock (add additional chicken stock if necessary). Whisk in butter/ flour mixture a little at a time (add more stock if necessary to reach desired amount.) Halfway through whisking in flour/butter mixture and final tablespoon of Armagnac. Whisk and cook until thickened. About 5-7 minutes. Adjust for salt and pepper. Pour into gravy boat or serving dish.
- Carve meat at table. Spoon warm gravy over top and consume...
