Recipe from Christiane Baumgartner
Adapted by Melissa Clark

The sophisticated, French flavors of brandy, butter and tarragon season this golden-skinned roast chicken, adding panache to what is otherwise an easy and straightforward recipe, adapted from Christiane Baumgartner via her daughter, Florence Chapgier, a reader. Serve it with mashed potatoes or polenta, a soft bed to absorb all the heady, buttery juices. And if you’re not a tarragon fan, fresh thyme makes an excellent, milder substitute. —Melissa Clark

*****IMPORTANT NOTE: READ STEP FIVE BEFORE YOU MAKE THIS EXCELLENT RECIPE. Also, the oven will get a little messy. The pan juices do splatter.

INGREDIENTS

Yield: 4 servings

  • 1 (4-pound) whole chicken
  • 2 teaspoons coarse gray sea salt or 2½ teaspoons kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 bunch fresh tarragon, leaves and tender stems coarsely chopped (about ¾ cup)
  • 2 tablespoons Cognac
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 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. (I roasted the chicken about 10 minutes longer.)
  • 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.