Roast chicken with cream & tarragon sauce

1Preheat your oven to 240C/220C fan/gas mark 9 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.

2Generously drizzle the skin with 3 tbsp olive oil (3 tbsp) and work it into all the nooks and crannies. Smash the whole head of garlic (1) and hide the cloves underneath the chicken, then roast in the oven for 20–30 minutes, until the skin begins to turn golden brown. Mix 250ml double cream (250 ml), 20g roughly chopped fresh tarragon (20 g) and 1 heaped tbsp Dijon mustard (1) in a bowl and season well with salt and pepper.

3Step After 20-30 minutes, turn the oven down to 160C/140C fan/gas mark 3, take out the chicken and pour a generous glass of white wine into the tray.

4Then 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 65-70C. If you don’t have one, prod this point with a skewer and ensure the juices run clear.

5Remove from the oven and leave to rest for 15 minutes, covered loosely with a bit of foil.

6Carve straight into the tray and serve with lots of the sauce, garlic and a zingy green salad.