# Lemon and tarragon roast chicken

The flavours of lemon and tarragon really enhance a succulent roast chicken, which can be stretched to feed eight by serving with sausagemeat stuffing balls studded with chestnuts and apricots.

- Servings: 8 servings
- Total time: 180 min
- Cuisine: French
- Category: Side
- Language: en

## 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

## Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6.
2. Mix the butter, tarragon, lemon zest, garlic, salt and pepper in a bowl.
3. Using your hands, carefully separate the chicken skin from the breast meat, taking care not to break the skin.
4. Smear the butter mixture under the skin all over the chicken breast.
5. Slice the zested lemon and carefully arrange the slices under the skin.
6. Transfer the chicken to a large roasting tin and season well with salt and pepper all over and inside the cavity.
7. Roast the chicken for 20–25 minutes.
8. Reduce 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.
9. The 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.
10. Transfer the chicken to a board to rest, leaving the meat juices in the roasting tin.
11. While the chicken is in the oven, make the stuffing.
12. Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan and fry the onion and garlic for 4–5 minutes until softened.
13. Add the chestnuts, apricots and sage, and season with salt and pepper.
14. Leave the mixture to cool.
15. Once cool, transfer the mixture to a large bowl.
16. Add the sausagemeat, fresh breadcrumbs and egg and mix well to combine.
17. Divide the mixture into 16 and roll into small balls.
18. Roll each stuffing ball in the fine breadcrumbs until evenly coated.
19. Put 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.
20. While the chicken is resting, make the gravy: place the roasting tin over a low heat.
21. Add the flour and whisk until combined with the roasting juices.
22. Gradually pour in the wine, whisking constantly, and allow to bubble for a few minutes.
23. Add the stock and cook for a further 6–8 minutes, whisking until thickened.
24. Whisk in the gravy granules and redcurrant jelly and season to taste.
25. Continue to simmer until the gravy is the consistency you like.
26. Strain through a sieve into a serving jug.
27. Carve the chicken and serve with the hot gravy and stuffing balls.

## Equipment

- bowl
- large roasting tin
- board
- large non-stick frying pan
- greased baking tray
- sieve
- serving jug

## Source

- Original video: https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/lemon_and_tarragon_roast_19808
- Recipe page: https://www.cliprecipe.com/recipe/7ae6ac6f-4311-47fa-af52-4672cb4180ef
- Extracted: 2025-07-07

Extracted from the video by Clip Recipe (https://www.cliprecipe.com). Quantities and steps are as stated or shown in the video. Site guide for agents: https://www.cliprecipe.com/llms.txt