Gardener Recipes: Roasted Tarragon Chicken
Photo courtesy of Jacquelyn Hadley
After months of hard work, when the time comes to finally harvest what you’ve sowed, just the act of picking your crop can feel like the biggest reward. But for those skilled in the kitchen, it can also offer a rewarding, well-earned meal. If you’re not quite sure what to do with what you’ve grown, don’t worry. Many of our gardeners are as talented at cooking as they are at growing—and they’re willing to share their tips and recipes!
Guest Recipe from Jacquelyn Hadley
If you’ve visited the College Area Community Garden, chances are, you’ve noticed the beautiful handy work of longtime gardener, Jacquelyn Hadley. Her plots are next to Ben’s Patio, and filled with a layered display of herbs, roses, vegetables, and, of course, adorned by her signature seasonal wreaths.
She also pioneered the Bee Happy Pollinator Garden that borders the entrance to our garden, and helps manage our community herb plot. So it’s no surprise that the recipe she prepared for us is a masterpiece. Here’s her tried-and-true recipe for roast chicken, elevated with fresh herbs from the garden.
Photo courtesy of Jacquelyn Hadley
Ingredients
One 4-5lb free-range/organic chicken, giblets removed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Large bunch of fresh French tarragon
One medium lemon
1/3 cup olive oil
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
Optional ingredients, based on preferences:
A smashed garlic clove may also be tucked into chicken cavity before roasting
½ cup of dry white wine may be added to pan during last 20 minutes of cooking
Chicken giblets may be tucked around chicken to enrich a pan gravy
A mixture of root vegetables may line the baking pan for a one-pan meal
Mild paprika may be added to the olive oil-butter mixture for richer, golden hue
Roasted Lemon Tarragon Chicken
Preheat oven to 350° F
Pat chicken dry. Liberally salt and pepper inside of cavity. Then prepare the whole lemon by making 4-6 holes with skewer. Insert a sprig of tarragon into each hole. Insert skewered lemon into chicken cavity. Place in a deep roasting pan or large baking dish with high sides that has been lightly oiled with olive oil to avoid chicken skin sticking.
In a small saucepan over low heat, gently melt butter and olive oil together with salt, pepper, and chopped tarragon. Blend together, remove from heat, and let flavors meld for a few minutes.
Meanwhile, gently lift chicken skin from its flesh and tuck fresh sprigs of tarragon underneath breast skin, and along the thigh crease and chicken back.
Truss the chicken to ensure it cooks evenly and the lemon remains inside.
Baste the chicken generously all over with the olive oil-butter-salt-pepper mixture, using a silicone basting brush. If desired, sprinkle a little more salt and pepper onto skin.
Bake. Tip: For the first 25 minutes, bake chicken breast down in the pan so that the lemon-tarragon mixture in cavity permeates its breast meat. Then turn chicken over onto its back and roast for another ~1 ½ hours or until internal temperature reaches 175° F at deepest part of the thigh meat.
Remove chicken from oven and allow it to rest 10 minutes before serving.
