Roast Chicken with Mustard Tarragon Sauce

Every now and then I find myself yearning for the simple luxury that only French food can provide. There is wonderful variety in what can be achieved with staples like wine, cream, and fresh herbs. In this case they are combined with a sharp, grainy mustard, while the wine and cream provide contrasting sweetness and tarragon some complexity. This quintessentially French combination of flavors makes a highly versatile sauce to compliment almost any meat.

For me, this sauce is all about the mustard and the delicious, locally-made Ozark Stout Ale Mustard that I came across is just perfect. Just be sure to choose a flavorful, course-ground mustard for your sauce. Compared to many similar recipes, mine is heavy on the mustard and light on the cream. I definitely recommend adapting the proportions of this simple sauce recipe to your personal taste.

Serving suggestions and notes: This recipe goes all out with instructions for a whole, roasted chicken; however, sautéed or roasted chicken breasts or thighs would be a satisfactory substitute with a quicker cook time. I recommend serving with fingerling potatoes and green peas or a green salad. Or, for the less carb-conscious, make your sauce heavier on the cream and serve chicken over rice or buttered noodles with lots of parsley.

Roast Chicken with Mustard Tarragon Sauce

Ingredients

1 whole free-range chicken, approx 4-5 lbs

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp dried thyme, ground to powder
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 TBS salt, divided

2 TBS butter, softened

3 TBS fat drippings from roasting chicken

1/3 cup course-ground mustard

1/2 cup white wine

1/2 cup heavy cream

2 TBS chopped fresh tarragon 

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425° F.

Rinse chicken in running water, then pat dry thoroughly with paper towels.  Place chicken in roasting pan or dutch oven.

 I used a dutch oven without the lid and found that this worked really well. I oiled the bottom of the pan to prevent sticking and then, after cooking, scraped the browned chicken bits off the bottom and saved them with the drippings for my sauce.

Sprinkle chicken with 1 tsp salt, pepper, thyme,  and minced garlic , and rub inside and out. Cover with softened butter, and finally sprinkle the remaining salt all over the chicken for a crispy, flavorful skin. Truss the chicken with kitchen twine and place it in your roasting dish. Cook for around 1.5 hours, or when the internal temp reaches 165° F.

Once the chicken is done, remove from pan and set to rest on a serving plate or wooden cutting board. Collect drippings (and browned bits if using a dutch oven), and begin your sauce.

 Pour white wine into a hot skillet and cook for about 1 minute, until reduced by half. Reduce heat and whisk in mustard, cream, tarragon, and chicken drippings. Cook for 2 minutes until mixture thickens, 2-3 minutes. Carve chicken and serve with sauce.