Lemon and tarragon roast chicken

Name: Lemon and tarragon roast chicken
Total time: 180 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 100 g unsalted butter, softened; 0.5 bunch fresh tarragon, chopped; 1 lemon, grated zest; 3 garlic cloves, crushed; 1.8 kg free-range oven-ready chicken; salt; freshly ground black pepper; 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 large onion, finely chopped; 2 garlic cloves, crushed; 100 g ready-to-eat chestnuts, roughly chopped; 100 g dried ready-to-eat apricots, roughly chopped; 15 g fresh sage, chopped; 300 g sausagemeat; 125 g fresh wholemeal breadcrumbs; 1 free-range egg, beaten; 75 g fine dried breadcrumbs; 3 tbsp plain flour; 200 ml red wine; 500 ml hot chicken stock; 2 tbsp gravy granules; 1 tbsp heaped redcurrant jelly

Serves 8

bbc.co.uk

Lemon and tarragon roast chicken

bbc.co.uk

Serves 8

Directions

1Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6.
2Mix the butter, tarragon, lemon zest, garlic, salt and pepper in a bowl.
3Using your hands, carefully separate the chicken skin from the breast meat, taking care not to break the skin.
4Smear the butter mixture under the skin all over the chicken breast.
5Slice the zested lemon and carefully arrange the slices under the skin.
6Transfer the chicken to a large roasting tin and season well with salt and pepper all over and inside the cavity.
7Roast the chicken for 20–25 minutes.
8Reduce the oven temperature to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4 and roast for a further 1 hour and 10 minutes, basting frequently, until the chicken is cooked through and the skin is crisp and golden.
9The chicken is cooked when the juices run clear with no trace of pink when a skewer is inserted into the thickest part of the leg.
10Transfer the chicken to a board to rest, leaving the meat juices in the roasting tin.
11While the chicken is in the oven, make the stuffing.
12Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan and fry the onion and garlic for 4–5 minutes until softened.
13Add the chestnuts, apricots and sage, and season with salt and pepper.
14Leave the mixture to cool.
15Once cool, transfer the mixture to a large bowl.
16Add the sausagemeat, fresh breadcrumbs and egg and mix well to combine.
17Divide the mixture into 16 and roll into small balls.
18Roll each stuffing ball in the fine breadcrumbs until evenly coated.
19Put the stuffing balls in a greased baking tray and bake at 200C/180C/Gas 6 for 25–30 minutes until golden brown and cooked through, turning once halfway through cooking.
20While the chicken is resting, make the gravy: place the roasting tin over a low heat.
21Add the flour and whisk until combined with the roasting juices.
22Gradually pour in the wine, whisking constantly, and allow to bubble for a few minutes.
23Add the stock and cook for a further 6–8 minutes, whisking until thickened.
24Whisk in the gravy granules and redcurrant jelly and season to taste.
25Continue to simmer until the gravy is the consistency you like.
26Strain through a sieve into a serving jug.
27Carve the chicken and serve with the hot gravy and stuffing balls.

Ingredients

100 g unsalted butter, softened
0.5 bunch fresh tarragon, chopped
1 lemon, grated zest
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1.8 kg free-range oven-ready chicken
salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
100 g ready-to-eat chestnuts, roughly chopped
100 g dried ready-to-eat apricots, roughly chopped
15 g fresh sage, chopped
300 g sausagemeat
125 g fresh wholemeal breadcrumbs
1 free-range egg, beaten
75 g fine dried breadcrumbs
3 tbsp plain flour
200 ml red wine
500 ml hot chicken stock
2 tbsp gravy granules
1 tbsp heaped redcurrant jelly

Equipment

bowllarge roasting tinboardlarge non-stick frying pangreased baking traysieveserving jug

Lemon and tarragon roast chicken

Serves 8

bbc.co.uk

Lemon and tarragon roast chicken

bbc.co.uk

Serves 8

Directions

1Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6.
2Mix the butter, tarragon, lemon zest, garlic, salt and pepper in a bowl.
3Using your hands, carefully separate the chicken skin from the breast meat, taking care not to break the skin.
4Smear the butter mixture under the skin all over the chicken breast.
5Slice the zested lemon and carefully arrange the slices under the skin.
6Transfer the chicken to a large roasting tin and season well with salt and pepper all over and inside the cavity.
7Roast the chicken for 20–25 minutes.
8Reduce the oven temperature to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4 and roast for a further 1 hour and 10 minutes, basting frequently, until the chicken is cooked through and the skin is crisp and golden.
9The chicken is cooked when the juices run clear with no trace of pink when a skewer is inserted into the thickest part of the leg.
10Transfer the chicken to a board to rest, leaving the meat juices in the roasting tin.
11While the chicken is in the oven, make the stuffing.
12Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan and fry the onion and garlic for 4–5 minutes until softened.
13Add the chestnuts, apricots and sage, and season with salt and pepper.
14Leave the mixture to cool.
15Once cool, transfer the mixture to a large bowl.
16Add the sausagemeat, fresh breadcrumbs and egg and mix well to combine.
17Divide the mixture into 16 and roll into small balls.
18Roll each stuffing ball in the fine breadcrumbs until evenly coated.
19Put the stuffing balls in a greased baking tray and bake at 200C/180C/Gas 6 for 25–30 minutes until golden brown and cooked through, turning once halfway through cooking.
20While the chicken is resting, make the gravy: place the roasting tin over a low heat.
21Add the flour and whisk until combined with the roasting juices.
22Gradually pour in the wine, whisking constantly, and allow to bubble for a few minutes.
23Add the stock and cook for a further 6–8 minutes, whisking until thickened.
24Whisk in the gravy granules and redcurrant jelly and season to taste.
25Continue to simmer until the gravy is the consistency you like.
26Strain through a sieve into a serving jug.
27Carve the chicken and serve with the hot gravy and stuffing balls.