Meryl Streep, one of Hollywood’s most celebrated actresses, is known for her transformative performances in films like The Devil Wears Prada, Mamma Mia!, and The Iron Lady. Yet, despite her elegance on-screen, she admits she’s far from polished in the kitchen. In a humorous essay for Glamour, Streep confesses that cooking makes her feel anything but glamorous—especially when she’s scrambling to time a meal correctly or forgetting key ingredients.
However, after portraying Julia Child in Julie & Julia, she took one of Child’s golden rules to heart: “Never apologize.” Now, when dinner doesn’t go as planned, she simply embraces the imperfections. In the article, she shared her love for Julia’s chicken tarragon recipe, emphasizing the importance of properly drying the chicken and waiting for the butter and oil to reach the perfect “sputter” before browning.
Streep’s practical and thrifty side (which she says she got from her father) shines through as she stretches a single roast chicken into multiple meals throughout the week. We bet Julia would approve of that! Here's what you need to know to channel your inner Julia (or Meryl) in your kitchen.
Related: Julia Child’s Work-From-Home Lunch Is Surprisingly Simple
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For this recipe, you will need a roasting chicken, salt, pepper, butter, sprigs of fresh tarragon (or dried tarragon), olive oil, sliced onions and sliced carrots. You can find the full recipe on the Glamour website.
Preheat your oven to 325°. Season the chicken’s cavity with salt, pepper and butter. Stuff with fresh tarragon and if you’re feeling adventurous, truss the chicken with some kitchen twine for a more even roast. Pat the skin dry and rub with softened butter.
Heat a heavy casserole pot over medium heat and melt some butter together with olive oil. Once the butter stops foaming, place the chicken (breast-side down) in the pot and brown it for three minutes. Carefully turn the chicken (avoid tearing the skin) and continue browning on all sides for 10–15 minutes, adjusting the heat so the butter stays hot but doesn’t burn. (Add a little more oil if needed.) Remove the chicken from the pot and set it aside.
If there are lots of dark bits in the pot, pour off the fat. If needed, add more butter and let it melt. Stir in the onions and carrots and cook over low heat for about five minutes. Sprinkle in some salt and more tarragon.
Sprinkle the chicken with more salt and place it breast-side on top of the vegetables. Dab with a bit more butter and cover it loosely with a sheet of aluminum foil. Place the lid on the pot, and return it to the stovetop just until you hear a sizzle.
Transfer the pot to the oven and roast for an hour and a half, basting once or twice to make sure the skin doesn't dry out. The chicken is done when the drumsticks move easily in their sockets and the juices run clear.
If you used any trussing string, remove it before carving. Serve the chicken while it's still warm and enjoy every tender, herb-infused bite!
Related: The Absolute Best Way to Make Soft, Creamy Scrambled Eggs, According to Legendary Chef Jacques Pépin
How to Use Leftover Roast Chicken Like Meryl Streep
What's even more genius is how Streep uses the leftover chicken. According to the article, her first stop is stock.
"After a roast chicken dinner, I remove the meat from the bones, save it and put the carcass in a big pot with cold water, a carrot, an onion, some celery, a bouquet garni (dried parsley, thyme and a bay leaf wrapped in a small piece of cheesecloth and tied with string, tea-bag-style) and any other sad little fellas hanging out in the vegetable drawer," she says. She stashes the stock in the fridge or freezer and uses it to make soups, stews, and risotto.
On day two, she turns the leftover meat into a cold chicken tarragon salad and sometimes adds one piece of crispy bacon to the mix, if she's feeling like mixing things up. Day three is all about risotto with mushroom made with the rich broth, followed by soup with canned cannellini beans, corn and chopped tomatoes on day four.
Streep says, "I am a terrible cook," at the beginning of the article, but we'd argue that her attention to culinary detail and thrift proves exactly the opposite.
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