- 4
Ingredients
- 4-6 SERVINGS
- Slathering mustard on chicken is one easy way to a juicy, flavorful bird-Gild the lily by making a delectably creamy, mustardy gravy from the pan juices. The gravy begs for mashed potatoes.
- 1 chicken (about 3 1/2 lb)
- 1 bunch tarragon, divided
- 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, divided
- 1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 1/4 cups water
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- EQUIPMENT: kitchen string
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat oven to 425F with rack in middle.
Pull off excess fat around cavities of chicken and discard, then rinse chicken and pat dry.
Mix together 1 1/2 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper and rub inside cavity.
Chop enough tarragon to measure 1 1/2 Tbsp and set aside, then add remainder of bunch to cavity.
Put chicken in a flameproof shallow roasting pan or gratin dish and rub all over with 1/3 cup mustard.
Tie legs together with string and roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into fleshy part of a thigh (do not touch bone) registers 170F, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Carefully tilt chicken so juices from cavity run into roasting pan, then transfer chicken to a cutting board and let stand 10 minutes.
Pour off all but 2 Tbsp fat from pan.
Whisk in flour, then cook over medium heat, whisking, 1 minute.
Add water, whisking constantly and scraping up brown bits, and bring to a boil.
Simmer sauce until slightly thickened, then whisk in cream, remaining Tbsp mustard, and salt and pepper to taste.
Strain sauce through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, discarding solids, then stir in reserved chopped tarragon.
Serve chicken with sauce.