Claire Thompson
Julia Child was a celebrity chef whose recipes and cookbooks are cherished and passed down even today. She was adept in the kitchen and created several recipe rules, hacks, and tricks. One of her most popular recipes is the roast chicken, which involves seasoning the bird inside and out, stuffing it with sautéed vegetables, herbs, and lemon slices, and then rubbing the skin with butter. Child also provides instructions on how to check for doneness and make a quick pan sauce to finish each serving. In addition to roast chicken, Child also has recipes for chicken salad and tarragon chicken, both of which have unique and flavorful ingredients and preparation methods.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Recipe | Roast Chicken, Chicken Salad, Tarragon Chicken |
| Preparation | Wash chicken in hot water, dry thoroughly, season inside and out, stuff with vegetables, herbs, and lemon slices, rub skin with butter, truss the chicken |
| Cooking | Preheat oven to 325-425°F, cook for 1 hour and 10-20 minutes, check for doneness by cutting into the thickest part and checking if juices run clear |
| Sauce | Pan juices mixed with chicken stock, heavy cream, and tarragon |
| Tips | Cut out wishbone for ease of carving, tie drumstick ends together, spear and lift to drain juices |
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What You'll Learn
Seasoning the chicken
Seasoning is an important step in Julia Child's roast chicken recipe. To start, season the inside of the chicken cavity with salt and pepper. You can also add other ingredients to the cavity like a thinly sliced lemon, a small onion, and a handful of celery leaves or parsley stems.
Next, season the outside of the chicken. In her recipe for Poulet Poele a L’Estragon, Julia Child recommends seasoning the chicken cavity with salt, pepper, and butter, and inserting tarragon leaves or sprinkling dried tarragon. Rub the chicken skin with butter and sprinkle it with salt.
If you're making a chicken salad, Julia Child suggests tossing the chicken meat in seasonings, flavorings, and a marinade, and letting it macerate for 20 minutes. This could include veggies, seasoning, herbs, acids, oils, salt, and pepper.
For Tarragon Chicken, a quick and easy dinner, season the aromatics with garlic oil, spring onions, and tarragon. When cooking the chicken, deglaze the pan with white wine or vermouth to enrich the sauce's depth. Before serving, taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning as needed.
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Stuffing the chicken
Julia Child's chicken salad recipe also involves a type of stuffing. She recommends tossing the cooked chicken meat in seasonings, herbs, oils, salt, and pepper, and letting it macerate or marinate for 20 minutes. This process allows the flavours to intensify before adding mayonnaise.
For a tarragon chicken dish, inspired by Julia Child, the aromatics are sautéed first. Heat garlic oil in a pan, add spring onions, and sprinkle in freeze-dried tarragon. Then, place the chicken breasts in the pan, curved side down, and cook for about 5 minutes. Flip the chicken over and pour in vermouth or white wine. Seal in the juices by achieving a golden-brown crust on the chicken.
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Trussing the chicken
Trussing a chicken is an important step in the cooking process, as it helps the bird cook evenly. Here is a detailed, step-by-step guide to trussing a chicken, inspired by Julia Child's technique:
To start trussing the chicken, you will need kitchen string or twine. It is best to use a type of string that is specifically designed for cooking, as it will be safe to use at high temperatures and won't melt or impart any unwanted flavours to the meat. You will also need a pair of scissors to cut the string.
Begin by cutting a length of string that is long enough to go around the chicken's body a few times, with some extra for securing the ends. Place the chicken on a clean work surface, breast-side up. Take the string and slide it under the chicken, so that it is running along the length of the bird, with a bit of extra string hanging off on one side. This extra string will be used to tie a knot later.
Now, bring the ends of the string together and tie them securely over the chicken's neck, just below the head. You can then take the string and wrap it around the chicken's wings, bringing it down to the drumsticks. Cross the string over the ends of the drumsticks and bring it back up to the neck, forming an 'X' shape across the bird. Pull the string taut, but be careful not to tie it too tightly, as this could cause the chicken to cook unevenly.
Finally, bring the string back up to the neck and tie a secure knot, just below the head. Cut off any excess string and tuck in any loose ends. Your chicken is now trussed and ready for roasting!
This trussing technique will ensure that the chicken cooks evenly and helps to keep the bird moist and juicy. It also gives the chicken a neat, compact shape, which is important for even browning and makes it easier to handle when it's time to carve.
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Roasting the chicken
Julia Child's roast chicken recipe is a beloved classic. To roast the chicken, start by seasoning the bird inside and out. You can use salt and pepper for seasoning, and if you wish, add a thinly sliced lemon, a small onion, and a handful of celery leaves inside the cavity. Next, slather the chicken with butter and truss it to promote even cooking. Place the chicken breast up in an oiled V-shaped rack or fold the wings akimbo and set them on an oiled flat rack.
Preheat your oven to 425°F for 15 minutes and then lower the temperature to 350°F. The total roasting time for a 3 1/2- to 4-pound chicken is about 1 hour and 10 to 20 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 170°F. To check if the chicken is done, spear it through the shoulders and lift it to drain. If the juices run clear yellow, the chicken is ready.
Once the chicken is done, let it rest on a carving board for 15 minutes before carving. You can also make a quick pan sauce by spooning the juices from the pan, adding chicken stock, and boiling until syrupy. Serve the chicken with this fragrant sauce, and enjoy!
For a tarragon-infused variation, season the cavity of the chicken with salt, pepper, and butter, and insert tarragon leaves or sprinkle dried tarragon. Truss the chicken, dry it thoroughly, and rub the skin with butter. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit, and roast for about 1 hour and 10 to 20 minutes for a 3-pound bird. To achieve a golden-brown crust, ensure the pan is hot before adding the chicken and avoid moving it too soon to allow proper searing. After browning, deglaze the pan with white wine or vermouth to enrich the sauce's depth. Simmer gently to avoid toughening the meat, and adjust the seasoning before serving.
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Making the sauce
Julia Child's roast chicken recipe includes a quick pan sauce to finish each serving. To make the sauce, start by spooning all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the juices in the pan. Next, add the stock and boil until the mixture becomes lightly syrupy, which should take about 5 minutes. Strain the sauce, and you will have just enough to bathe each serving with a fragrant spoonful.
For another Julia Child sauce, you can make a creamy tarragon sauce. Start by sautéing the aromatics: heat some garlic oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add sliced spring onions and sprinkle in freeze-dried tarragon, stirring occasionally. After about a minute, place the chicken breasts in the pan, curved side down. Cook for 5 minutes, flipping the onions on top of the chicken if they start to brown too quickly. Then, flip the chicken over and deglaze the pan with vermouth or white wine. Let it bubble up for a few seconds, then add salt.
After browning the chicken, deglazing the pan, and simmering gently, it's time to make the sauce. Transfer the chicken to a plate and keep it warm. Increase the heat to medium-high, bring the remaining liquid to a boil, then stir in the heavy cream. Add the fresh tarragon, stirring again, and season with white pepper. Pour the creamy tarragon sauce over the chicken breasts, sprinkle with extra tarragon, and serve immediately.
Julia Child recommends using fresh tarragon, as it provides a distinct, vibrant flavor that elevates the dish. However, if fresh tarragon is unavailable, you can use dried tarragon. Just be sure to reduce the quantity by half to avoid overpowering the taste.
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Frequently asked questions
Julia Child's roast chicken recipe involves seasoning the chicken inside and out with salt, pepper, and butter. Vegetables, lemon slices, and fresh herbs are packed into the cavity. The chicken is then trussed and roasted. After roasting, a sauce is made from the pan juices and chicken stock.
To check if Julia Child's roast chicken is done, spear the chicken through the shoulders and lift to drain. If the juices run clear yellow, the chicken is done.
Julia Child's chicken salad recipe involves tossing the chicken meat in seasonings and flavourings and letting it macerate for 20 minutes. The mayonnaise is then folded in, resulting in a juicy, bright chicken salad.
Julia Child's tarragon chicken involves sautéing aromatics in garlic oil and adding spring onions and tarragon. The chicken is then cooked and deglazed with vermouth or white wine. The sauce is made by boiling the remaining liquid and stirring in cream and tarragon.
Julia Child does not provide specific instructions on how to cut a chicken. However, she recommends cutting out the wishbone before roasting to make carving easier.
