Little Dragon Roasted Chicken

Tarragon is probably the herb I like to cook with most. It smells so wonderful and adds such a unique taste. Most famously (within my small family) it is used in our favorite dish: Little Dragon Roasted Chicken. The word tarragon (according to the internet) means dragon or little dragon. While I believe tarragon to be a powerful herb, I would associate spicy foods with dragons, but I didn't make it up so I just go with it and call the dish Little Dragon Roasted Chicken. I love the herb so much that I even use it when brewing beer! If you're not overly familiar with the herb, give it a whirl. It is great.

Pictured is Little Dragon Roasted Chicken with Garlic Mashed Rustic Potatoes. Preheat the oven to 425 and pat down the chicken so that it is very dry. The reason why this dish is a family favorite is because the skin of the chicken is so crispy. So patting it down with a paper towel until it is dry is very important. Additionally, I have noticed that this cut of chicken is often cut a bit too big, leaving in organ remnants near the long end of the chicken. This is due to either a careless butcher or a machine. I either cut the unpleasantries off or I just pull out whatever is not wanted. I proceed with a small bit of ground pepper and garlic. Then I use a good amount of salt and tarragon. Roast the chicken for 1 hour (or longer) at 425. Due to a hungry family, I pulled this one out of the oven an hour in (the chicken was cooked, but looks and tastes a bit different when pulled out as pictured). Ideally, I like to wait until the skin starts to pull away from the bone, showing the tip of the bone (not pictured). 


Potatoes are simple enough. Chop and boil potatoes and garlic (1 clove for each potato). Strain and mash with butter, salt, pepper. Mashed potatoes are easy and make for a great addition to many of my dishes (and yours?).