Mustard and Tarragon Roast Chicken

, from Issue #52. September, 2015
Photography by Manja Wachsmuth.
Mustard and Tarragon Roast Chicken

Serve with a crisp green salad and a bowl of hot cooked new potatoes topped with a knob of butter.

Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS

¼ cup Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 teaspoons dried tarragon
finely grated zest 1 lemon
1 tablespoon lemon juice
4 chicken marylands, thigh and drumstick skin on
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1-2 bunches baby carrots, scrubbed 

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 180°C.

Combine all the ingredients, except the chicken, in a bowl.

Place the chicken in a large lightly oiled baking dish and spoon over the mustard mixture, rubbing it all over the pieces of chicken. Place skin side up and season with salt and pepper. Place the carrots alongside. 

Pour ½ cm of water into the dish but not over the chicken and squeeze over the remaining juice from the lemon. Bake for about 40 minutes until cooked through, basting the chicken occasionally and adding a little more water if the pan starts to dry out. Remove the carrots when cooked. To check the chicken is cooked, insert a thin skewer into the thickest part of the chicken, the juices should run clear with no trace of pink.

To serve: Place the chicken and carrots on serving plates and spoon over the pan juices. Serve with a salad and boiled new potatoes.