Ingredients

Tarragon Chicken

• 1 large free range chicken
• 3 tbsp butter
• 1 sprig tarragon
• 1 sprig parsley
• 1 bay leaf
• 12 garlic cloves (peeled)
• 375ml dry cider
• 500ml chicken stock
• 1 apple
• 1 pear
• 2 tbsp tarragon leaves
• 1 tbsp finely chopped parsley
• maldon salt and freshly ground black pepper

Sauce

• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp corn flour

Serving Suggestions

• sautéed spinach or green of your choice
• potato rosti with goats cheese (see recipe) or boiled new potatoes

Method

1. Tarragon Chicken : Preheat an oven to 220°C. Generously rub the chicken all over with the butter and season it with a little salt, and pepper. Place the chicken in the pot with the garlic cloves, tarragon sprig, parsley sprig, bay leaf and cider. Place the chicken in the oven and leave it to cook uncovered for 30 minutes, basting it every 10 minutes.
2. Reduce the heat to 180°C, add the chicken stock to the pot and place the lid on it. Return the chicken to the oven and leave it to cook for a further 50 minutes, or until ready. Add the diced apple and pear to the pan in the final 10-15 minutes. To check if the chicken is ready insert a small knife or skewer in the thickest part of the thigh, if the juices run clear it is cooked but if they are red it needs more cooking.
3. Strain the stock from the pan into a saucepan, leaving the chicken, garlic cloves, apple and pear the pot and discarding the tarragon, parsley and bay leaf.
4. Sauce: Place the chicken stock over a high heat and reduce by half (you should be left with around 400ml). Melt the butter in a separate saucepan and stir in the flour. Cook the roux for 3-4 minutes over a moderate-high heat. Stir in the reduced stock a little at a time being sure that it is well incorporated and smooth. Bring the sauce to a simmer then reduce the heat so the sauce simmers slowly, leave it to cook for a further 4-5 minutes, so that you have a smooth sauce that coats the back of a spoon. Remove it from the heat and stir in half the parsley and chicken.
5. To Serve: Joint the chicken and distribute it among serving plates with garlic cloves and the apple, and pear. Pour a little of the sauce over each serving of chicken and sprinkle over the remaining parsley and tarragon Any remaining sauce can served separately. Serve the chicken with sautéed spinach and goats cheese rosti (see recipe) or your choice of vegetables.