Poulet Rôti with Tarragon Jus (French Roast Chicken)

Poulet rôti is the kind of French roast chicken that keeps the cooking simple but precise: well-seasoned bird, dry skin, generous butter and a hot oven to start the browning. Lemon and garlic bring brightness and savoury depth, while the roasting tin becomes the base for a light jus rather than a heavy gravy. Fresh tarragon gives the sauce its distinctive aniseed note, lifting the richness of the chicken without overpowering it. Served carved with the warm jus spooned over the top, it suits a Sunday lunch as well as an unfussy dinner with potatoes, greens or a crisp salad.
Recipe by JustRecipes Editorial Team
Content validated: August 2026 How we create recipes
Made this recipe? Rate it
Cuisine style French home cooking
Flavor profile Buttery • Herby • Savoury
Techniques High-heat roasting • Pan jus reduction
Key equipment Roasting pan • Oven • Meat thermometer
Cooking style Hands-off cooking • Crowd-friendly

Why this recipe works

  • Crisp skin: Starting the chicken at 220°C (430°F) gives the buttered skin a fast blast of heat before the oven is lowered for even roasting.
  • Simple, layered flavour: Garlic, lemon zest and butter season the chicken, while wine, stock and browned pan juices create a savoury base for the tarragon jus.
  • Clear doneness cues: A thermometer reading in the thickest part of the thigh removes guesswork and helps prevent dry, overcooked meat.

Get the most out of this recipe

Authenticity notes

  • French home-style serving: Poulet rôti is often served carved with its pan juices rather than a heavy gravy, keeping the focus on the roast chicken and its aromatic jus.
  • Tarragon and chicken: Fresh tarragon gives the jus a distinctly French aniseed note that pairs naturally with poultry and buttery pan juices.

Common mistakes

  • Do not skip the hot start: The initial roast at 220°C (430°F) helps the skin brown quickly; putting the chicken into a cooler oven can leave the skin pale and soft.
  • Rest before carving: Carving straight from the oven releases too much juice onto the board. Resting gives the meat time to settle and makes carving cleaner.
  • Watch the breast skin: Butter browns readily, so loosely cover the breast with foil if it darkens before the chicken is fully cooked.

Ingredient swaps

  • Alcohol-free jus: Replace the white wine with extra chicken stock and deglaze the roasting pan in the same way, scraping up the browned bits for flavour.
  • Herb variation: Use fresh thyme instead of tarragon for a more earthy, classic roast chicken flavour.

Make-ahead tips

  • Store chicken and jus separately: Cool both fully, then refrigerate the carved chicken and jus in separate airtight containers to keep the meat from sitting in excess liquid.
  • Reheat gently: Warm the chicken in a 180°C (355°F) oven until piping hot, and heat the jus gently in a saucepan without boiling.
  • Freeze after cooking: Carved chicken and jus can be frozen separately, then thawed and reheated for an easy roast chicken meal later.

Equipment you'll need

Kitchen thermometer Oven Roasting pan Saucepan Tongs Wooden spoon
Ingredients
Instructions
Print
  1. Heat the oven to 220°C (430°F). Pat the chicken dry, then set it in a roasting pan.
  2. Mash the butter with the garlic, finely grated lemon zest, and black pepper. Rub the butter all over the chicken, then put the lemon (halved) into the cavity.
  3. Roast for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven to 190°C (375°F) and roast for 55 to 65 minutes more, until the juices run clear and the thickest part of the thigh reaches 74°C (165°F). If the skin is browning too quickly, loosely cover the breast with foil.
  4. Transfer the chicken to a board and rest for 10 to 15 minutes before carving. Pour off excess fat from the roasting pan, leaving the browned bits and juices behind.
  5. Set the roasting pan over a medium heat and add the wine, scraping up the browned bits as it bubbles. Add the stock and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes until lightly reduced, then stir in the tarragon and take off the heat.
  6. Carve the chicken and spoon the warm tarragon jus over the top to serve. Taste the jus and add a little more black pepper if you like.

Made this recipe? Rate it — a comment is optional.

Recipe notes

Tips

  • For the crispest skin, make sure the chicken is thoroughly dry before you rub on the butter.
  • If you are serving vulnerable groups, ensure the chicken is cooked to 74°C (165°F) in the thickest part of the thigh and that the juices run clear.
  • For a cleaner jus, pour it into a saucepan through a sieve-strainer, then warm gently before serving.

Substitutions

  • Replace Fresh tarragon with fresh thyme for a more earthy, classic roast flavour.
  • Replace Dry White Wine with chicken stock for an alcohol-free jus.

Storage

  • Refrigerate up to 3 days
  • Cool the chicken and jus, then refrigerate in separate airtight containers. Reheat chicken in a 180°C (355°F) oven until piping hot, and warm the jus gently in a saucepan without boiling; freeze carved chicken and jus for up to 2 months.

Ratings & reviews

Liked this recipe? Share your feedback to support our cooking community.

Tried this recipe?

Choose 1–5 stars. A comment is optional.

If you leave a comment, use 10–500 characters.

Stay inspired

Discover new recipes, seasonal favourites and cooking inspiration every day. Follow JustRecipes on Pinterest and Spillt.

Pinterest

Recipe overview

  • Servings: 4 servings
  • Total time: 1h 35min (20min active)
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Cuisine: French
  • Allergens:
    Milk
Beginner friendly Freezer friendly Kid friendly
Signal WhatsApp

Plan your meals and get a complete grocery list automatically.

Add to meal planner

Equipment you'll need

Kitchen thermometer Oven Roasting pan Saucepan Tongs Wooden spoon
Advertisement

Recommended tools for this recipe

Best overall

WMF Mini Saucepan 16 cm with Lid

Compact stainless steel saucepan
  • High-quality stainless steel
  • Even heat distribution
  • Higher price point

Got ingredients left?

Find recipes using ingredients from this recipe or what you already have at home.

Find recipes with these ingredients →

More variations

View all

More from this course

View all

Cook with these ingredients

Black pepper

1 cup ≈ 110.4 g
Convert ingredient→

Chicken stock

1 cup ≈ 240 ml
Convert ingredient→

Dry White Wine

1 cup ≈ 240 ml
Convert ingredient→

Unsalted butter

10 oz ≈ 283 g
Convert ingredient→

More with similar ingredients

View all

You might also like

Make this recipe easier next time

Advertisement

These tools help you get better results with less effort.

Best overall

WMF Mini Saucepan 16 cm with Lid

Compact stainless steel saucepan
  • High-quality stainless steel
  • Even heat distribution
  • Higher price point
Best value

T-fal Specialty Nonstick Handy Pot with Glass Lid 3 Quart

Affordable nonstick saucepan
  • Easy food release
  • Dishwasher safe
  • Not induction compatible
Top quality

All-Clad Tri-Ply Stainless Steel Saucepan

Professional-grade tri-ply saucepan
  • Excellent heat control
  • Premium build quality
  • Expensive

Browse alphabetically

Looking for a specific recipe? Choose a letter below to jump directly to recipes starting with that letter or number.

Explore the Recipe Index

Enjoy cooking with JustRecipes?

Add JustRecipes as one of your preferred Google sources to discover our recipes more easily across Google Search.

Add JustRecipes to Google

Every recipe on JustRecipes follows the same structured editorial process. Learn how recipes are created, validated, translated, illustrated, and continuously improved across the platform. How we create recipes.