Marilyn Martin's Recipe

Tarragon Chicken Julia Childs

Category: Recipes

Julia Childs Tarragon Chicken

1 (3-pound) roasting chicken, rinsed in cold water inside and out
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
Pinch of pepper
7 tablespoons butter, divided
8 sprigs fresh (or 1 teaspoon dried) tarragon
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more if needed
1/2 cup sliced onions
1/4 cup sliced carrots

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Season cavity of chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt, ground pepper and 1 tablespoon butter. Insert 4 sprigs (or 1/2 teaspoon dried) tarragon.

Feeling ambitious? Truss chicken with kitchen string. (Learn how at mahalo-dot-com/how-to-truss-a-chicken.)

Dry chicken well and rub skin with 1 tablespoon butter.

On a stove top, set casserole pot over medium heat; melt 2 tablespoons butter and add 1 tablespoon oil. When butter foam subsides, lay in chicken, breast side down. Brown for 2 to 3 minutes, regulating heat so butter is always hot but not burning. Turn chicken on another side using wooden spoons or a towel. Do not break the chicken skin! Continue browning and turning (about 10 to 15 minutes) until golden all over. Add more oil if necessary to keep bottom of casserole filmed. Remove chicken; set aside.

Pour out fat if there are a lot of blackened bits on the bottom of the pot. If necessary, add 3 more tablespoons butter. Cook onions and carrots on low in casserole pot, 5 minutes, without browning. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt and 4 sprigs (or 1/2 teaspoons dried) tarragon.

Sprinkle chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Set it breast side up over the vegetables; dab with butter. Lay a piece of aluminum foil over chicken, cover casserole with lid and heat on top of the stove until chicken sizzles. Place the casserole pot on a rack in the oven.

Roast for 1 hour and 10 minutes to 1 hour and 20 minutes, basting once or twice. Chicken is done when the drumsticks move in their sockets and juices run clear. Discard strings (if trussed) and serve!