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1
Place prunes in small bowl and cover with Armagnac or Cognac. Let soak for at least one hour or overnight.
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2
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
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3
Rinse and dry chicken. Salt inside of cavity liberally.
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4
Place a few shallots inside bird and around bird. Drizzle shallots with olive oil, salt and pepper. Tuck a few prunes inside bird and place the rest between shallots. Pour Armagnac and chicken stock over shallots and prunes.
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5
Generously pepper breast and legs of chicken. Cut bacon to fit and place over breast and legs. Tent with foil.
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6
Bake in a 400 degree oven for one hour, basting halfway through and tossing shallots and prunes with sauce so they do not dry out.
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7
Remove foil; turn heat up to 425 degrees, generously baste again, and roast for about 25-30 minutes more until bacon is crisp and breast is browned (basting several times during this period to keep breast juicy). Remove chicken and shallots to warmed serving platter.
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8
Mix together flour, butter and tarragon to make a smooth paste. Place roasting pan on top of stove over medium high heat and bring to simmer - bubbling very lightly. You should have about a cup and half of stock (add additional chicken stock if necessary). Whisk in butter/ flour mixture a little at a time (add more stock if necessary to reach desired amount.) Halfway through whisking in flour/butter mixture and final tablespoon of Armagnac. Whisk and cook until thickened. About 5-7 minutes. Adjust for salt and pepper. Pour into gravy boat or serving dish.
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9
Carve meat at table. Spoon warm gravy over top and consume...
