Lemon Tarragon Brined Whole Chicken Recipes

LEMON-HERB CHICKEN BRINE RECIPE

Steps:

• Make the brine, by mixing warm water with the salt and honey in a large glass bowl or baking dish; stir until the salt and honey are dissolved. Cool completely then add the lemon slices, fresh parsley, fresh thyme, fresh rosemary, bay leaves, garlic cloves, and black peppercorns.
• To use brine, place chicken in the brine, cover, and refrigerate for two hours for skinless breasts, 4 hours for bone-in pieces, and 4 hours to 24 hours for whole chickens.
• After brining, remove the chicken from the brine (discard brine), rinse the chicken under cold water then pat dry. For best results, place the chicken on a plate and place it in the refrigerator for an hour to dry the skin completely.
• Take the chicken out of the refrigerator an hour before seasoning then roasting, baking, or pan searing. Enjoy.

LEMON-TARRAGON ROAST CHICKEN WITH VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Rub chicken inside and out with one garlic half. Place both garlic halves and the tarragon sprigs in cavity. Stir together butter, shallot, chopped tarragon. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Loosen skin of chicken near cavity with hands; spread butter mixture under skin all over flesh.
• Squeeze juice from lemon halves over chicken; place in cavity. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper.
• Halve the large onions horizontally at an angle. Arrange in the middle of a 9-by-13-inch roasting pan to form a square. Position halves so that the slanted ends of each pair face each other, inward, and almost touch. Place chicken, breast side up, on onion "rack."
• Quarter the small onions; arrange with carrots, celery, and potatoes around bird. Tuck lemon slices between wings and breast, and legs and breast. Pour wine and stock over vegetables.
• Roast chicken and vegetables, basting 2 or 3 times with pan juices, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of chicken thigh registers 165 degrees and juices run clear, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
• Remove pan from oven, and let chicken stand 10 minutes. Carve chicken. Arrange chicken and roasted vegetables (including rack onions) on a platter. Spoon pan juices over meat.

TARRAGON LEMON ROAST CHICKEN AND POTATOES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 F. Rinse the chicken and pat dry. Rub chicken inside and out with the garlic half, then place inside the chicken cavity. Place the tarragon sprigs inside the chicken cavity as well.
• In a small bowl, stir together butter, shallot and chopped tarragon. Season chicken with salt and freshly ground pepper, then loosen skin of chicken near cavity with hands and spread the tarragon butter mixture under the skin, between the skin and the chicken meat.
• Squeeze juice from the half lemon over the chicken, then place the squeezed lemon in the chicken cavity.
• Place chicken into a greased skillet or baking pan. Arrange halved small potatoes around the outside of the chicken and season then with salt and pepper (if you place them skin down as much as possible, they will get lovely crispy and golden!).
• Place in pre-heated oven and roast until the skin is deep golden and crispy and the meat temperature in the breast area reaches 165° , about 1 - 1 1/2 hours (depending on the size of your chicken).

HONEY BRINED CHICKEN WITH LEMON AND SAGE

Steps:

• Mix honey, salt, water, bay leaves, and garlic together. Pull skin away from chicken just enough to place sage leaves and lemon slices under skin. Truss the chicken and tie the other end of the butcher's twine to the pot handle for a quick retrieval of the brined chicken. Place chicken in liquid and let sit in cooler for 12 hours.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Place chicken on roasting rack in oven and brush with olive oil. Bake for about 45 to 50 minutes or until juices run clear.

TARRAGON CHICKEN WITH LEMON

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Heat a medium-large skillet over high heat. Add the olive oil. Season the chicken all over with salt and pepper, and lay the pieces in the pan rounded-side down first (the side that had the skin). Cook the chicken, turning only once, until golden brown on both sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer chicken to an oven-proof dish, reserving the skillet. Place the chicken to the oven and bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken registers 170 to 75 degrees F, about 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, pour the vermouth into the reserved skillet, scraping up any browned bits that cling to the pan with a wooden spoon, and cook over medium heat until the liquid reduces by about half. Add the chicken broth and continue to cook until slightly thickened.
• In a small bowl whisk a teaspoon or so of cold water with the cornstarch, then whisk the mixture into the broth and bring to a full boil. Remove from heat and add the zest, lemon juice, and tarragon. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Remove the chicken from the oven. Pour any pan drippings from the chicken into the sauce and stir to combine. Divide the chicken pieces between 4 plates. Pour the sauce over the chicken and serve.

ROAST CHICKEN WITH TARRAGON

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Remove fat from the crop and cavity of the chicken. Remove the neck, gizzards and liver and freeze for another use.
• Squeeze half the lemon all over the skin of the chicken. Season the skin with salt and pepper. Stuff the cavity with the remaining half lemon, garlic and 1 bunch whole tarragon.
• Put the chicken in a roasting pan, breast side up, and roast 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the juices run clear. During the first few minutes, either shake the chicken or move it frequently with a wooden spoon to keep it from sticking.
• When chicken is done, tilt it over the roasting pan to let the cavity juices run into the pan. Remove the chicken to a platter. Pour off the fat from the roasting pan.
• Put the pan on top of the stove. Add the wine and bring the contents of the pan to a boil, while scraping the bottom vigorously with a wooden spoon. Stir in tarragon leaves. Let simmer 5 minutes once the pan is thoroughly deglazed. Serve the pan juices over the chicken or pass it separately in a sauce boat.

LEMON TARRAGON CHICKEN

Steps:

• Prepare sauce by adding the following to food processor: 2 strips lemon peel (remove with vegetable peeler or zester) and juice of lemon (2 TBSP), garlic, parsley, green onions, tarragon, wine, cornstarch, and sugar. Process 20 seconds until well blended.
• Season both sides of chicken with salt and pepper. Preheat large sauté pan on medium-high 2-3 minutes.
• Place oil in pan; swirl to coat. Add chicken, and cook 2-3 minutes on each side.
• Pulse sauce one more time, then pour over chicken. Cover, reduce heat to medium low, and simmer 6-8 minutes, turning occasionally, until internal temp reaches 170°F.
• Serve sauce over chicken.

TARRAGON CHICKEN

Steps:

• Butterfly chicken by placing it breast-side down and, using kitchen shears, cutting along both sides of backbone and through small rib bones. Discard backbone, and place chicken in a large plastic bag with zipper. Add 1/2 cup tarragon, the lemon juice and zest, and olive oil. Expel as much air as possible from bag, and make sure marinade coats chicken. Refrigerate for at least 1/2 hour and up to 24 hours.
• Heat oven to 450 degrees. Place chicken in a roasting pan, spread flat, breast side up. Roast until skin is crisp and golden, 35 to 45 minutes.
• Sprinkle with salt to taste, and cut into 8 serving pieces. Transfer to a platter, and garnish with remaining tarragon. Serve, if desired, with salad and roasted potatoes.

LEMON TARRAGON BRINED WHOLE CHICKEN

Steps:

• Combine 1 cup water, rind, and tarragon sprigs in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil; remove from heat. Place in a large bowl; cool to room temperature.
• Add remaining 6 cups water, salt, and sugar, stirring until salt and sugar dissolve. Place salt mixture in a 2-gallon zip-top plastic bag. Add the ice and chicken; seal.
• Refrigerate 3 hours, turning bag occasionally. Remove chicken from bag; discard brine. Pat chicken dry with paper towels.
• Prepare grill for indirect grilling, heating one side to medium and leaving one side with no heat.
• Sprinkle cavity of chicken with 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped tarragon and 1 teaspoon pepper. Lightly coat outside of chicken with cooking spray.
• Rub the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped tarragon and 1 teaspoon pepper evenly over outside of chicken. Place chicken on grill rack coated with cooking spray over unheated side.
• Close lid; grill 15 minutes. Brush chicken with 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Close lid; grill an additional 30 minutes.
• Brush with remaining lemon juice. Close lid; grill 15 minutes or until thermometer inserted into meaty part of thigh registers 180°.
• Place chicken on a platter; cover with foil. Let stand for 15 minutes. Discard the skin.