Roast Chicken in White Wine

Name: Roast Chicken in White Wine
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h 10 min
Total time: 1 h 25 min
Ingredients: 1 organic chicken; 3 tbsp olive oil; 1 whole head of garlic; 250ml quality double cream; a 20g bunch of fresh tarragon, stalks removed, roughly chopped; 1 large heaped tbsp Dijon mustard; glass of dry white wine

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This Roast Chicken in White Wine is the ultimate way of serving roast chicken. It's simple uses just six ingredients and it tastes amazing. The chicken is roasted in the oven and you make the white wine sauce in the pan too. This is a one pan roast chicken which makes it the perfect, foolproof recipe and there's less washing up! Serve with thick crusty bread to mop up the sauce. This makes a delicious and simple supper or the perfect Sunday roast.

How to make it

Begin by salting the chicken generously on both sides and leaving it for an hour to come to room temperature before baking. Salting the chicken is a really important step, as the salt will absorb into the chicken and season it all the way through. People can be quite nervous about salt but if you think your food doesn’t taste as good as in a restaurant, salt is usually the key. Once salted and ready, drizzle the chicken generously in oil and rub in. Crush garlic and nestle under the chicken.

The chicken is roasted at a higher temperature to begin with and then the heat gets turned down and you pour over the cream, dijon mustard, tarragon and the all important white wine. As the chicken roasts, the bottom of the pan collects the most divine white wine sauce. When the chicken has roasted through, you allow it to rest slightly then carve it right in the tin so that all the chicken soaks up this delicious sauce.

If you have any leftovers, you have to try making this tarragon and cream pasta with roasted chicken - it's inspired by a Nigella recipe and it's really very good.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to make gravy?

No, you will love this way of roasting chicken as there’s no need to make a separate gravy. This is a one pan roast chicken recipe where everything is made in the same pan, the juices from the roast chicken mix with the cream to make the most delicious creamy white wine sauce. It's rich but there's also a sharpness to it.

What is the best oven temperature to roast a chicken?

There is some debate on the oven-roasting temperature for a roast chicken, and typically, it is fairly foolproof. With 2 different temperatures here, it's a smart way to ensure crisp skin and meat that is fully cooked through without being dried out. For this recipe set the oven initially to 220c. After 20-30 minutes and once the skin is browned, lower it to 140c for a further 30-40 minutes.

Is there an alternative for tarragon?

The tarragon works particularly well with the flavours of the chicken and the cream but if you don't like the taste of tarragon which has a faint flavour of aniseed, then you can leave it out. Try switching for chopped parsley but add this in right at the end and stir through the sauce.

For leftover chicken (or not!), you might also like

Roast Chicken, Bacon And Pesto Sandwich

Roast Chicken & Tarragon Pappardelle

Garlic Butter Chicken Thighs with Roasted Tomatoes

Crispy Brown Butter Gnocchi with Sage and Parmesan

Roast Chicken in White Wine

Roast Chicken in a roasting tin with a creamy herby white wine sauce

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This recipe for roast chicken in white wine is by Julius Roberts and it is the ultimate roast chicken.

Author: margie
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 70 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 25 mins
Yield: Serves 5

Ingredients

Scale

1 organic chicken
3 tbsp olive oil
1 whole head of garlic
250ml quality double cream
a 20g bunch of fresh tarragon, stalks removed, roughly chopped
1 large heaped tablespoon Dijon mustard
glass of dry white wine

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Instructions

Preheat your oven to 220°C fan and start by spatchcocking the chicken. To do this, turn it over and cut along one side of the spine from the tail to the neck. Then turn it over, open out the two sides and press down hard to flatten it. Your butcher will gladly do this for you. Lay the chicken in a large, high-sided roasting tray, season generously with salt on both sides and leave for an hour at room temperature so it loses the chill of the fridge.

When ready, generously drizzle the skin with olive oil and work it into all the nooks and crannies. Smash the head of garlic and hide the cloves underneath the chicken, then roast in the oven for 20–30 minutes, until the skin begins to turn golden brown. Meanwhile, mix the cream, tarragon and mustard in a bowl and season well with salt and pepper. After 20–30 minutes, turn the oven down to 140°C fan, take out the chicken and pour a generous glass of white wine into the tray. Then pour the tarragon cream all over the chicken and place back in the oven for 30–40 minutes until it’s ready. To judge when it’s cooked, I check the deepest part of the thigh with a temperature probe, looking for 65–70°C. If you don’t have one, prod this point with a skewer and ensure the juices run clear. At this point, remove from the oven and leave to rest for 15 minutes, covered loosely with a bit of foil. Carve straight into the tray and serve as you like, with lots of sauce, garlic and a zingy green salad.