- 90g/3½oz butter
- large handful fresh tarragon leaves, chopped
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 x 1.75kg/3½lbs free-range chicken
- 125ml/4½fl oz white wine
- Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas 7.
- Mash the butter and two-thirds of the tarragon together in a small bowl and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir in the crushed garlic.
- Place the chicken into a roasting tin and rub the herb and garlic butter all over the outside and inside of the chicken.
- Pour the wine into the roasting tin and place the tin into the preheated oven. Roast for 15 minutes, then turn the heat down to 190C/375F/Gas 5 and roast for a further 40 minutes, basting the bird from time to time with the juices from the pan, adding a little more wine or water if the tin becomes too dry.
- When the chicken is golden-brown and cooked through (pierce the chicken at the thickest part of the thigh – the juices should run clear), turn the oven off and leave the chicken to rest for ten minutes before carving.
- Add the remaining chopped tarragon to the roasting juices in the tin, stir well and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- To serve, carve the chicken and pile the slices onto serving plates. Drizzle over pan juices and serve immediately.