Lemon and tarragon roast chicken
3h
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
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