Tarragon Roast Chicken with Asparagus and Broad Beans 

Brined and butter-basted Organic Chicken with crispy dutch cream potatoes. Accompanied by a fresh broad bean and asparagus salad. A harmonious blend of tender meat, golden potatoes, and vibrant spring vegetables, elevated with aromatic tarragon butter.

Serves 4

Your preferred Bantry Organic Chicken cuts with their skin on. I’ve used skin-on breasts, drumettes, and wingettes.

5 large dutch cream potatoes  

1 kg broad beans

1 Large bunch green asparagus, or 2 small

1 banana shallot

1 bunch tarragon

150g salted butter 

1 lemon

1 clove garlic

Extra virgin olive oil

Aged red wine vinegar 

Flaked salt

Brine

1L water

90g salt 

1 tablespoon honey

1 lemon, juiced

A few sprigs of thyme

For the brine:

1. To make the brine, put 250ml of boiling water in a saucepan or heat-proof vessel and dissolve the salt and honey into it.
2. Then throw in the thyme, lemon and the rest of the water. Use water that’s as cold as possible; you don’t want to put your chicken into hot brine, or it will start to cook. You can also cool your brine by substituting some of the cold water weight and using ice instead. 
3. Once the liquid has cooled right down, immerse your chicken in it. The chicken needs to be fully covered by the liquid. Leave the chicken in the salt solution for two hours in the fridge.

For the chicken and salad:

1. Peel and slice your potatoes. Put them in a baking dish and season them with olive oil, salt and pepper. Bake at 180° fan-forced, for around 25 minutes or until tender. 
2. Make your butter. Take your butter and soften it if need be, then grate in a clove of garlic, the zest of a lemon, and a handful of tarragon that’s been finely chopped. 
3. Take your chicken out of your brine solution and pat dry. Sear in a hot pan until there’s nice golden colour over its skin.
4. Place your seared chicken over the potatoes. Then coat each piece with your compound butter. 
5. Place the baking tray back into the oven. From here, depending on your cuts, your chicken should take around 20-25 minutes at 180° to cook through. Smaller cuts will need less time.
6. While the chicken is cooking, blanche and pod your broad beans.  Then, lightly fry your asparagus in olive oil. Mix both together with some finely sliced shallots and season with red wine vinegar and salt. 

Plate the salad next to the chicken and potatoes. Sometimes, I’ll serve roast chicken like this with a tarragon mayonnaise, too.