Chicken With Tarragon - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 (2 to 2 1/2 lb.) chicken, split in half
salt and pepper
2 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. finely chopped shallots or onions
2 tsp. finely chopped fresh tarragon or 1 tsp. dried
1/2 c. dry white wine
1/4 c. water

Preparation

Remove backbones from chicken halves.
Reserve.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Heat butter in a heavy skillet large enough to hold whole chicken.
Add chicken, skin side down.
Surround with gizzard, heart, neck and backbone.
Cook about 10 minutes, until golden brown on skin side.
Turn and cook 5 minutes longer. Remove chicken and set aside.
To skillet add shallots and cook briefly.
Add tarragon and wine.
Stir to dissolve the brown particles that cling to bottom of skillet.
Stir in water.
Return chicken to skillet, skin side up and cover.
Cook about 15 minutes.
Uncover and continue cooking, basting after 5 minutes, until tender and glazed.