Roast Tarragon-Cognac Chicken
Updated Oct. 12, 2023
- Total Time
- 2½ hours
- Prep Time
- 5 minutes
- Cook Time
- 2 hours 25 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 1(4-pound) whole chicken
- 2teaspoons coarse gray sea salt or 2½ teaspoons kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
- 6tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1bunch fresh tarragon, leaves and tender stems coarsely chopped (about ¾ cup)
- 2tablespoons Cognac
- 1teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
856 calories; 64 grams fat; 24 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 24 grams monounsaturated fat; 11 grams polyunsaturated fat; 4 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 0 grams sugars; 59 grams protein; 1139 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Pat the chicken dry and salt the bird inside and out. Transfer to a plate or baking dish, preferably on a rack, and refrigerate uncovered for at least 1 hour or overnight.
- Step 2
When ready to cook the chicken, heat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Step 3
In a small bowl, combine butter, tarragon, 1 tablespoon Cognac and the pepper. Rub mixture inside the chicken cavity and over and under the chicken skin.
- Step 4
Place chicken on a rimmed sheet pan or in a large, ovenproof skillet. Roast, breast side up, until the skin is golden and crisp, and the juices run clear when you insert a fork in the thickest part of the thigh (165 degrees), about 1 hour.
- Step 5
Turn off the oven — don’t skip this step, or the Cognac may overheat and catch fire — and transfer the pan with the chicken to the stovetop. Pour the remaining 1 tablespoon Cognac over the bird and baste with some of the buttery pan juices. Immediately return the chicken to the turned-off oven and let rest there for 10 minutes before carving and serving.
Private Notes
Comments
Few recipes for roast chicken prescribe what I've come to regard as essential: Julia Child instructs us to roast the chicken breast-down, turning it breast-up only for the last 20 minutes to crisp the skin. The inevitable descent/draining of the meat's juices are retained in the breast, rendering the meat succulent unlike any other method.
About being careful with the cognac in a hot oven . . . I once decided to pour some Calvados over a roasting chicken. Moments after I closed the oven door, it was blown open by a fireball that crossed the kitchen before it went out. Fortunately, nothing was damaged, including the chicken.
This is how I roast chicken and it is superb. One warning: Oven off before cognac. Saved time once and poured cognac on chicken while still roasting. The result was the oven door got blown off with a very loud boom. It was still delicious and we called the recipe 'Blast Door Chicken'.
This is now my go to chicken dish. Easy yet elevated and always a pleaser when entertaining. Easy to prep ahead of time. I often substitute thyme for tarragon which also cooks and tastes great.
Simple steps, and an extraordinary bird. Pan juice sauce is especially delicious as an accompaniment for bird and side dishes alike.
I would increase the volume of cognac by half; at the very least....
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