Roast Chicken with Grapes, Chestnuts and Tarragon Butter
- 1 stick plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 3 tablespoons chopped tarragon
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- One 4-pound chicken
- 1 thyme sprig
- 1 rosemary sprig
- 1 bay leaf
- 6 thick slices lean bacon, cut into 1/4-inch strips (5 ounces)
- 24 vacuum-packed whole chestnuts (7 ounces)
- 1 pound black or red grapes, stemmed
- Preheat the oven to 350.
- In a small bowl, blend 1 stick of the butter with 2 tablespoons of the tarragon and season with salt and pepper.
- Loosen the skin of the chicken over the breasts and legs and spread the butter under the skin.
- Put the thyme, rosemary and bay leaf in the cavity and season with salt and pepper.
- Season the outside with salt and pepper.
- Put the chicken in a roasting pan and roast for about 1 1/2 hours, turning the pan a few times for even cooking.
- The bird is done when the juices from the inner thigh run almost clear.
- Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the bacon over moderate heat until browned and lightly crisp, 5 minutes.
- Drain on paper towels; discard the fat.
- In the same skillet, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter.
- Add the chestnuts, season with salt and cook over moderate heat until glazed, 3 minutes.
- Add the grapes and the remaining 1 tablespoon of tarragon and cook until the grapes are about to burst, 4 minutes.
- Add the bacon.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Transfer the chicken to a carving board and cover loosely with foil.
- Pour the pan juices into a glass measuring cup and skim off the fat.
- Pour the pan juices into a small saucepan and simmer over moderately high heat until reduced to 1/3 cup, about 2 minutes.
- Carve the chicken and serve with the grapes and chestnuts; pass the pan juices.
unsalted butter, tarragon, salt, chicken, thyme, rosemary, bay leaf, lean bacon, chestnuts, black
Taken from www.foodandwine.com/recipes/roast-chicken-grapes-chestnuts-and-tarragon-butter (may not work)