Tarragon and Cranberry Roast Chicken

Roast chicken marinated in tarragon, garlic butter and baked with cranberries.

Roast chicken is well known to be one of the nation's favourite roasts. There's so many marinade options, and it goes so well with various vegetables. My favourite easy marinade would be garlic, salt and pepper. Leave the chicken for a few hours coated in the above at room temperature before cooking. For tarragon chicken it's pretty much the same, I mince garlic into butter, chop some fresh tarragon and put in the microwave for 10 seconds to infuse the butter. I add salt and freshly ground pepper then coat the chicken in the marinade. You can also add ginger or/and turmeric to this as it goes so well with tarragon.

Cranberries make the gravy tastier and more Christmassy. They don't really affect the taste of the chicken in any way.

I always cook roast chicken in a roasting bag. It helps to keep all of the juices and makes a beautiful gravy, without any need for additional stock. I cook the chicken, breast down, for 2/3 of total cooking time, as it helps to cook the juices in the breast (my mother taught me that, thank you, mom!) then I cut the corner of the bag, transfer the juices into a separate dish to make gravy later and take the chicken out of the bag. Then roast breast-up for the remaining time, usually about 30 more minutes. I find that even large chicken cooks in the bag in 1h 30 minutes on 180' and it falls off the bone, so soft and juicy.

For our roast dinner I always make mash potatoes and roast potatoes to go with the chicken. I also make carrots, broccoli and peas as they are my husband's favourite vegetables. For myself and the little one or any guests that we have I also make cauliflower, cabbage (all types), spinach, leeks, aubergines, courgettes and many more.. Not all of it in one go of course, but I like to have a selection.

INGREDIENTS

Large chicken about 1,700g

A big bunch of Tarragon

1 head of garlic

Large knob of butter

Salt

Pepper

Cranberries (I used frozen)

METHOD

Put the butter in a microwave-safe dish, add minced garlic, and a spoonful of chopped tarragon, salt and pepper.

Stir well and put in the microwave for up to 10 seconds until the butter has melted. Add the remaining tarragon and rub the marinade al lover the chicken. Stuff the inside of the chicken with cranberries, or you could put a whole onion inside, it also will add tasty juice to your gravy. Leave at room temperature for a few hours before cooking.

Preheat the oven to 180'. Put the chicken in the roasting bag (if using) breast down, cook for an hour in the bag. After an hour transfer the chicken juices into a separate container for gravy, then cut the bag and take the chicken out. Cook breast-up for the remaining time, around 30 minutes.

Rest covered in foil and fluffy towels, while making Yorkshire puddings.