This past week has been the hardest week of quarantine for us. As the weeks have worn on, our nerves are suffering, and our words are laced with harsher than respectful comments as the norm. The girls can hardly be together without bickering, and J and I are fed up. We needed a happy meal.

There’s this meal I love to fix for my family and friends. It’s the kind of meal that’s simple, but doesn’t taste like it: roast chicken with lemon-tarragon sauce. It’s looks beautiful and tastes amazing. Tonight was definitely the night for this meal. It’s tangy, buttery, and juicy, with a slight caramel flavor from the licorice-y tarragon. It’s perfect, and my family can’t get enough of it. From times past, I knew this bird could be a happy drug, and I served it with the intent of bringing on some happy times for my cranky crew.

I promised E that we could have a formal dinner tonight to go along with our delicious meal. I worked hard on my timing to be able to have dinner mostly done so J could do the final steps. E has a love and a knack for cosmetics, so she was going help me get ready. We girls put on our fancy dresses, as J carved up our pretty bird, and covered it in a buttery, lemon sauce. I usually try to get two nights out of a bird, but not this time. We deserved total indulgence! We put the star of our meal in the middle of the table, and we all took turns dragging a piece of chicken through the sauce. The girls took the drumsticks, J and I took the thighs, then piece by piece, we devoured the breast meat. All the while, mopping up the saucy bliss.

For sides, I always have a simple green salad of some sort to balance the richness of the chicken. This evening it was greens from a neighbor’s garden, dressed with a simple, 5-minute vinaigrette. The other side dish, though, is always in perfect harmony with the bird: braised red potatoes with lemon and chives. They are crispy brown, salty, and garlicky on the outside, and creamy on the inside. These babies make their way onto my dinner table often because they look so impressive, but they are truly the easiest potato recipe!

As we indulged, I could see shoulders lower and smiles rise. Jokes were cracked, and I started to hear giggles peppered into all the mmmm’s. I had been praying for God to give us a good evening to kick off our week. He gave me a roast chicken as the remedy.

Note: I am a massive fan of America's Test Kitchen! I have 9 of their cookbooks, and I am a member of ATK’s site and its sister brands. Most of my favorite kitchen gadgets and appliances I purchased upon their recommendation. I will be linking recipes to their site often. If you are an avid cook, or want simplified recipes that are truly amazing, I highly recommend signing up for a trial membership!