When people ask me what my favorite roast chicken recipe is, I often say, “The last one I cooked...” and there are probably enough out there to last me a lifetime of cooking. Having said that, my favorite method to roast a chicken is on the grill in a hot, pre-heated cast iron skillet. This recipe is adapted from a French inspired recipe by Melissa Clark and Christiane Baumgartner on the NYTimes Cooking website. Fresh tarragon and cognac… how can you go wrong? Bon appetite!

Roast Tarragon-Cognac Chicken
Yield: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS
Yield: 4 servings

• 1 (4-pound) whole chicken (preferably air chilled chicken)

• 2½ teaspoons kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

• 1 bunch fresh tarragon, leaves and tender stems coarsely chopped (about ¾ cup); reserve two tablespoons for gravy or pan sauce.

• 2 tablespoons Cognac

• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 

PREPARATION
Preheat a cast iron skillet on the grill to 400 F.

1. Pat the chicken dry and salt the bird inside and out. Transfer to a plate or baking dish, preferably on a rack, and refrigerate uncovered for at least 1 hour or overnight.

2. When ready to cook the chicken, heat the oven or grill to 400 F.

3. In a small bowl, combine butter, tarragon, 1 tablespoon Cognac, and pepper. Rub the mixture inside the chicken cavity and over and under the chicken skin. Alternatively, you may find it easier to melt the butter mixture and brush it on the chicken.

4. Once the grill reaches 400 F., place the prepared chicken onto the hot skillet and roast, breast side up, until the skin is golden and crisp, and the juices run clear when you insert a fork in the thickest part of the thigh (165 degrees), about 1 hour. Alternatively, preheat your oven to 400 F. Place the chicken on a rimmed sheet pan, or in a large, ovenproof skillet and roast, breast side up, until the skin is golden and crisp, and the juices run clear when you insert a fork in the thickest part of the thigh (165 F. on an insta-read thermometer), about 1 hour.

5. Turn off the grill or oven — don’t skip this step, or the Cognac may overheat and catch fire — open the grill, or if using the oven, transfer the pan with the chicken to the stove top. Pour the remaining 1 tablespoon Cognac over the bird and baste with some of the buttery pan juices. Immediately return the chicken to the turned-off grill or oven and close; let rest there for 10 minutes before carving and serving.

6. For pan sauce: pour off the juices from the pan and allow the fat to separate. Skim off the fat, stir in a tablespoon of fresh tarragon (to taste), and spoon the pan juices at the table. If you want to make gravy, deglaze the pan with a half cup of white wine. Reduce by a half and add a cup of chicken stock and two tablespoons of chopped fresh tarragon; reduce by half. Using two tablespoons of the fat from the pan, add a tablespoon of flour and stir to make a slurry. Slowly add the slurry to the simmering stock, stirring constantly until well incorporated. Add the reserved pan juices; adjust the salt and pepper and simmer for about 5 minutes. 

Wine pairing: Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Soave, Rueda, Viognier, Dry Riesling

Adapted from a recipe by Melissa Clark and Christiane Baumgartner