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1
Preheat the oven to 400.
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2
Place the chicken in a roasting pen just large enough to accommodate it.
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3
Place the lemon quarters in the cavity of the bird.
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4
Rub 1 tablespoon of the butter all over the chicken and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.
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5
Pour the wine into the roasting pan and add 1/2 cup of water.
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6
Scatter the garlic cloves and figs around the chicken and roast in the middle of the oven for 30 minutes to brown the bird.
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7
In a small bowl, combine the remaining 1 tablespoon butter with the tarragon end chives.
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8
Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
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9
Cover and refrigerate.
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10
After 30 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 350 and baste the chicken.
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11
Roast for 10 minutes longer and then add 1/2 cup of water to the pan.
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12
Continue to roast, basting occasionally and turning the figs to keep them moist, until a thermometer inserted in the inner thigh registers 160, about 50 minutes longer.
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13
Pour the juices from inside the chicken into the roasting pan and transfer the chicken to a warm platter.
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14
Remove the figs end garlic and set aside on a plate.
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15
Pour all of the pan juices into a measuring cup and with a small ladle, skim the fat from the surface.
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16
Set a small, coarse strainer over a small nonreactive saucepan.
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17
Put the garlic cloves in the strainer end pour over the degreased pan juices.
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18
With a rubber spatula, push the cooked garlic through the strainer into the juices, scraping the garlic from the underside of the strainer into the juice.
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19
Discard the garlic skins.
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20
To carve the chicken, cut off the legs and cut the drumsticks from the thighs at the joint using a sharp knife.
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21
Cut off the wings.
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22
Slice the breast meat off the bone.
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23
Pour any accumulated juices into the sauce.
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24
Arrange the chicken on a warmed platter and cover loosely with foil.
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25
Cut the figs into 1/4-inch dice and add them to the sauce.
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26
Heat the sauce over moderate heat until hot.
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27
Remove from the heat and whisk in the chilled herb butter, bit by bit, until the sauce is smooth and thickened slightly.
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28
Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve separately in a sauceboat.