Name: Tarragon chicken with swede, leek and peas
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 80 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 50 gram butter, at room temperature; 1 tablespoon chopped tarragon, plus extra, to serve; 1.4 kilogram fresh whole chicken; 1 tablespoon vegetable or olive oil; 3 small swedes, peeled, cut into wedges; 1 leek, pale section only, thickly sliced diagonally; 1/2 cup dry white wine; 1 large chicken stock cube; 1 cup water; 2/3 cup frozen peas

Ingredients

50 gram butter, at room temperature

1 tablespoon chopped tarragon, plus extra, to serve

1.4 kilogram fresh whole chicken

1 tablespoon vegetable or olive oil

3 small swedes, peeled, cut into wedges

1 leek, pale section only, thickly sliced diagonally

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 large chicken stock cube

1 cup water

2/3 cup frozen peas

Method

1.Preheat oven to moderate, 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Combine butter and tarragon in a bowl; season.

2.Rinse chicken cavity under cold water; pat dry with paper towels. Using fingers, separate the breast skin from flesh on each side to form 2 pockets. Gently push butter mixture into pockets, being careful not to break the skin.

3.Heat oil in a flameproof roasting pan over moderately high heat.

4.Add swede; cook, stirring, 2 minutes or until lightly browned. Add leek; stir to combine. Add wine, crumbled stock cube and water; bring to the boil.

5.Make room in centre of pan; add chicken. Transfer to oven. Bake, basting occasionally with pan juices, 50 minutes, or until chicken is cooked (when a skewer inserted into thigh produces clear juices).

6.Stir in peas; bake a further 4 minutes, or until peas are tender. Stand 10 minutes to rest. Serve sprinkled with extra tarragon.

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