Step 1

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Rinse chicken and pat dry. Salt and pepper cavity. Stuff cavity with tarragon sprigs. Add 1 tablespoon of butter to cavity. Truss chicken. Salt and pepper exterior and rub in 2 tablespoons of butter. Place chicken on rack of roasting pan. Spread neck, giblets and onion in roasting pan around chicken. Roast chicken 15 minutes on one side. Turn and roast 15 minutes on second side. Place chicken on back and roast additional 10 minutes.

Step 2

Remove chicken from oven and pour off all grease from pan. Add chicken stock to roasting pan. Roast chicken for 10 minutes or until done. Total roasting time approximately 50 minutes. Remove chicken from oven. Set aside and keep warm.

Step 3

On stove, heat chicken stock together with giblets and onion. Scrape well to release and mix all brown parts. Strain through wire mesh lined with cheese cloth. Degrease the strained sauce base. Return to heat in small saucepan and reduce by one-third. Add heavy cream and chopped tarragon. Enrich with final tablespoon of butter. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Heat sauce thoroughly and serve over sliced chicken. Pommes Mousseline is an excellent accompaniment.