This heart shaped creation may be an excellent offering for the February the 14th, as a festive Valentine’s dinner. It will serve 2, unless the chicken is not small and the date is not 14th of February.
You may ask your butcher to butterfly the chicken (make sure he removes the backbone and the breastbone. I do it myself and do not find it difficult.
Without bones it should look vaguely heart-shaped once it is flattened and roasted. The advantage is that you won’t have to carve; just cut the cooked bird into four pieces and serve a leg and a breast each.
- 1 3-pound broiler chicken
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon, or 1 teaspoon dried
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- Deal with the chicken – unless you already have it butterflied..
- Preheat oven to 425 F.
- Lie chicken flat on a working surface.
- Combine tarragon, soy sauce, lemon juice, honey and olive oil.
- Brush over chicken skin and flesh.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Place chicken skin-side up on a rack over a roasting pan.
- Bake for 45 to 50 minutes (basting with any remaining marinade halfway through cooking) until skin is crisp and juices are clear.