Honey Roast Chicken

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We love Roast Chicken in this house. It is one of our favourite meals, with plenty to enjoy on the first day, and then a casserole or sandwiches on the second day and finally  a good homemade soup on the third.  I usually try to buy the best roasting chicken that I can afford, and getting three meals out of it means that it actually ends up being quite an economical purchase.

This is a recipe I adapted from my BHG New Cookbook (published in 1982). I am always looking for new ways to roast chicken, and it seemed to be quite different than the usual!

Honey, chicken, lemon, English peas and shallots . . . tarragon?  Sign me up!  This is a beautiful flavour combination! I love LOVE all of those flavours!

I actually didn’t have any tarragon in the house, with the exception of dried and I also only had dried basil, so I used what I did have and that was flat leaf parsley.

 The fact that there is lemon in the dish means that your peas won’t be their usual vibrant green.  For some reason Lemon always washes out green coloured vegetables.  I would suggest that if you want a really vibrant green, you cook the peas separately and then just add them when you go to serve.

The chicken is so moist and tender and flavourful . . .  you would think with all the honey involved it would be sweet but it isn’t. It is just perfect.

I just had the chicken sliced with some of the sauce and some carrots, but I made mashed potatoes for Todd and he had the juices spooned over his potatoes.  He really, REALLY enjoyed this meal.  I have to say I really love it when that happens.

230g frozen baby peas (1 1/2 cups)

Preheat the oven to 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 5.  Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, and truss, tucking the wings underneath and tying the legs together.  Place into a shallow roasting tin, breast side up.   

Brush all over with the butter and sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Roast, uncovered for 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours until the juices run clear and the drumsticks move easily in the sockets. Brush with half of the honey and 1 TBS of the Tarragon/parsley/basil.  Return to the oven and roast for a further five minutes or so until golden brown. 

Remove the chicken from the pan, lightly tent with foil and set aside.  

Transfer the roasting tin to the top of the stove. Add the sliced shallots, sparkling wine(broth), chicken broth and the remaining honey.  Whisk together and then bring to a simmer.  Simmer,uncovered, until the shallots are tender and the juices have begun to thicken.  This will take about 10 minutes.  Add the frozen peas and the sliced lemon.  Simmer, uncovered, for 3 to 5 minutes, until heated through.  Stir in the remaining tarragon.   

Serve the chicken sliced along with some of the peas/shallots/pan juices spooned over top. 

I have to say that this was quite an unusual version of roast chicken and very delicious and one I would use again. It would make a great company dish!  Especially with the tarragon!  I think rice would also go very well.  Bon Appetit!