Roasted Chicken with Grape Stuffing and Creamy Wine Sauce

This is one of the best roasted chicken recipes I've ever found. It probably originates eastern France, given the ingredients and techniques, involved.

Ingredients:

• 1 small chicken (1 1/3 kg)

• 8 oz. seedless white grapes, halved

• 1/3 cup fresh tarragon leaves, chopped

• 1 medium shallot, minced

• Olive oil for brushing the chicken

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 2 cups dry white wine

• 3/4 cup creme fraiche

• salt

• pepper

Directions:

Remove chicken and grapes from the refrigerator and bring to roughly room temperature.

Pre-heat the oven to 450F.

Measure a tablespoon of chopped tarragon and set aside. Combine the rest of the tarragon, shallots, and all but a small handful of the grapes in a bowl. Mix well and stuff the chicken with the mixture. Set the reserved grapes aside for later.

Brush the chicken with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and place it in a roasting pan with a rack. Roast for 1 hour and check for doneness with a good meat thermometer.

When the chicken is roasted, remove stuffing to a bowl and place the chicken on a warm plate or cutting board to rest.

Pour off the roasting juices from the roasting pan into a 12" frying or saute pan over moderate heat.

Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds or so, then add the wine. Bring to a low boil and reduce the liquid by half.

Whisk in the creme fraiche, add the stuffing and the reserved grapes, and reduce the temperature to a fast simmer (just barely bubbling) and cook for 8-10 minutes to thicken the mixture.

While that's going on, carve the chicken and arrange on a serving plate.

Stir the reserved tarragon into the sauce, spoon some of it over the carved chicken and serve, with additional sauce in a bowl on the side.

Garnish with additional tarragon, if desired.

Full printable recipe at http://ift.tt/1UhGTus

bon appetit