Le Poulet Du Dimanche - Sunday Chicken
An easy, delicious Roasted Chicken with Tarragon and Cognac.
RECIPE
Yield: 3 to 4 servings
Ingredients:
1 (4-pound) whole chicken
2 tsp coarse salt
6 Tbsp salted butter
3/4 cup fresh tarragon leaves, chopped
2 Tbsp Cognac
1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
Directions:
Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Salt the bird inside and out. Transfer to a plate and refrigerate uncovered for one hour. Remove chicken from refrigerator.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In a small bowl, combine butter, 1 tablespoon of the cognac, fresh pepper and tarragon reaching a pommade consistency (soft but not melted).
Pat dry your chicken one more time very thoroughly so that your coating will still to the bird as much as possible. Rub mixture inside the chicken cavity and over and under the chicken skin.
Place the chicken on a rack inside a large pan, or in an ovenproof skillet. Roast in the oven, breast side up, until the skin is golden and crispy and the juices run clear (165 degrees), about an hour.
Turn off the oven - very important step as you don't want the cognac to catch on fire when we put the chicken back inside. Transfer the pan with the chicken to the counter or stovetop. Pour the remaining 1 tablespoon of cognac over the chicken and then baste with some of the buttery pan juices. Immediately return the bird to the turned-off oven and let rest there for 10 minutes.
Carve and serve!
