2015 Cooking Club Week 2: Chicken in Tarragon & White Wine Sauce

Deenie123

Okay so I was way ahead of myself and had my whole contribution done up, pictures uploaded and document saved about 10 days ago... Except that it was basically a vegetarian version of week 1 :eek: So instead of getting an ultra healthy veggie meal, you get chicken If anyone wants my handy for a dinner party with a veggie guest recipe, PM me :P

This recipe is a family favourite in my house, and has been since I was just a little nipper...


Chicken in Tarragon & White Wine Sauce

Serves 4-6, depending on how many chicken breasts used.

3-4 hours marinading time required.
Oven temperature: 200 c

Ingredients:
1 tbsp French mustard
150ml white wine
1 finely chopped clove of garlic
1 tsp dried tarragon
250ml (1 carton) of cream
1 heaped teaspoon of cornflour
Tasteless oil for frying
Salt & Pepper (to season as required)
4 large or 6 smallish chicken breasts

1. Mix the mustard, white wine, garlic and tarragon to form a marinade.

2. Place the chicken breasts in a shallow oven dish and pour the marinade over. Cover with tin foil and leave in the fridge for 3-4 hours.

3. Remove the chicken from the marinade and leave to dry on some kitchen towel. Pour the marinade into a small pot, add a little bit extra white wine and start to bring to the boil.

4. Turn on the oven, set to 200c. While the marinade is being brought to a boil, brown the chicken by frying in a little bit of oil (sunflower or other tasteless oil). When browned, transfer the chicken to a casserole dish and place in the oven to keep warm.

5. Once the marinade gets to a boil let it simmer for about 5 minutes. While it's simmering, make a mixture of the cornflour and some of the cream.

6. Once the marinade has simmered long enough to cook off the alcohol, add the cornflour and cream mix, along with the rest of the cream. Stir constantly while doing this.

7. Still stirring constantly, bring the sauce to the boil until it thickens. Once it's thickened, taste it and season as required.

8. Pour the sauce over the chicken and place the casserole dish into the oven and cook for 25-30 minutes (until the chicken is done).

It looks slightly... white... but it tastes great

I serve with rice and some broccoli to give it a bit of colour. Also goes well with sauteed baby potatoes and green beans. When cooking my rice, I sautee a finely chopped onion, mix through the rice and then cook the rice.

Enjoy

IvyTheTerrible

That looks lovely!

Loire

Looks great. Will try it next week!

Looks great but I your instruction photos especially.

jordata

Looks lovely Deenie. Will be trying out for sure.

Your veg dish sounds interesting too. Why not add it to the Random Recipe Thread since you have gone to the bother of preparing it.

Deenie123

Good idea, will post it in a few days after exams are over

Mrs Fox

One of my favourite combination of flavours - white wine, tarragon & cream.
I used skinless chicken thighs on the bone instead, and added half a cup of chicken stock for more sauce.
Beautiful dish, OP. Thank you.

BaZmO*

OMG that looks amazing!

Deenie123

Mrs Fox wrote: »

One of my favourite combination of flavours - white wine, tarragon & cream.
I used skinless chicken thighs on the bone instead, and added half a cup of chicken stock for more sauce.
Beautiful dish, OP. Thank you.

The stock is a really great idea, will try this next time! Glad you liked

blackwave

I have to try this on my day off this week!

AmyPL

Delicious! I followed Mrs Fox's lead and added some chicken stock to up the savoury factor a little bit. The sauce was very tasty. Definitely one I'll be making again.

jokettle

This is currently in the oven, with some of Jamie Oliver's "Perfect Roast Potatoes" (I went for garlic and rosemary seasoning, they're delicious). I also added the chicken stock, because yum!

---

Edit: Well, this was freakin delicious. I cooked 4 chicken breasts, and since my OH is vegetarian I have a gorgeous lunch sorted for the next 3 days! I also need to figure out a veggie dish that would work with this sauce, because I *need* to make him taste this.

Sorry for not including a photo, but I was too busy eating

Mrs Fox

jokettle wrote: »

I also need to figure out a veggie dish that would work with this sauce, because I *need* to make him taste this.

Mushroom + white wine + cream = Kapowww!!

polydactyl

Also made this with chicken on the bone and gnocchi, delicious! Thanks OP

jokettle

Mrs Fox wrote: »

Mushroom + white wine + cream = Kapowww!!

Yeah, but...I hate mushrooms, so he'll have to make that himself

gerrybbadd

Sweet lord that looks serious - being added into the rotation of dinners!

RosyLily

Had it over the weekend. So so good!! Chicken was lovely and moist, great flavoursome sauce. Had it with gnocchi, fried mushrooms (with a drizzle of cream) and peas. Would happily eat it over and over again.:)

Thanks for the recipe!

heldel00

Will it make any difference if I marinade this overnight? Don't want it to be too pungent (or maybe the more pungent the better?)

BTW I could not get tarragon for love nor money. I tried Supervalu, dunnes and lidl. Anything else I could fire in in its place?

IvyTheTerrible

I made this last night (I used thighs instead of breasts), omg it was delicious!
It's going on my permanent rotation, thanks!

Neyite

Have this in the oven now, I can't wait!

Neyite

This was a big hit in our house. Thank you for sharing it

confusticated

I've made this twice in the last fortnight, really gorgeous recipe. I added a fair bit of chicken stock to make more sauce and because I found the cream a bit heavy the first time, and served with roasted baby potatoes and tenderstem broccoli. Thanks OP, will definitely make it again!

Mrs Fox

Made this again for dinner, but I used a whole spatchcocked chicken. Browned it in a large wok which fitted the chicken nicely. Removed the chicken and cooked the marinade and sauce in the same wok, scraping all the brown bits, and placed the chicken on top again. Simmered on very low for 40 minutes, covered. Beautifully yum.

Neyite

I did this again too tonight. Likewise, scraping the brown bits from cooking the chicken into the sauce and a slow simmer and it was gorgeous.

angeldelight

Made this today for the mammy with chicken thighs and the chicken stock added to the sauce. Yum yum yum!! I would eat the sauce straight out of the dish, it was gorgeous

Faith

I am sad to report that this recipe didn't quite work for me . But it's likely because of a few alterations I made. Because I had 3 ginormous chicken breasts, I cut them up into bite size pieces, and I only marinated them for an hour or so. When I cooked them, I accidentally overcooked them and they were tough. The sauce was also a bit sharp - possibly bad wine, or I didn't cook the alcohol off enough. I also used half-and-half rather than full cream to reduce calories. This is usually a perfect substitute in small quantities, but it was a bit thin for this dish.

I have some leftover for tomorrow, so I'm going to add chicken stock and see what happens . I'll also try to thicken the sauce up a bit more.

I can see how it's a gorgeous dish though, and it's definitely one I'll try again! I served it with orzo and peas, both of which went really nicely .

Neyite

I've marinated it overnight Faith. I'd not be organised enough to do it in the morning before work, and no time to leave it to marinade if I did it after work either.

I used the chicken stock in my second try of this, and I think it made the dish a bit overpowering for me, and the lovely creamy tarragon taste was harder to taste - I probably used too much though.

I only brown the meat too. And the juices from the meat, and the pan scrapings that go lovely and golden get chucked back in to the sauce to colour it a little and add a bit of taste.

Why not use your half in half next time, but add a spoon of flour which might thicken up the sauce nicely and not affect taste too much?

bigronnie9

made this last night, loved it

was after buying a garlic & herb spatchcock chicken in aldi at the weekend, was going to just have that as is until I came across Tarragon in super value Monday evening and remembered reading this recipe...

Marinated over night, added half a cup of chicken stock to the sauce.

Served it with Mash, broccoli, carrots and mushrooms, will definitely be making this again!

Birdsong

Had few friends over tonight & made this with rice, went down brilliantly, great flavours. Will be doing it again & also so easy to do. Had it all prepared

Birdsong

Birdsong wrote: »

Had few friends over tonight & made this with rice, went down brilliantly, great flavours. Will be doing it again & also so easy to do. Had it all prepared

Made this again last night for other friends Went down a treat, it really is a great entertaining dish as you can it all ready & pop in the oven. Put on the rice. I did broccoli for some colour

Mrs Fox

It's been awhile since I made this lovely dish. After a long walk in the cold earlier I wanted something comforting. I was going to make creamy chicken and mushroom pasta, but I suddenly thought of this dish. So although I vouched for chicken thighs, I had bought chicken fillets, it'll have to do.
I added chicken stock for extra sauce and flavour, and threw in sauteed mushroom and onion too. I also added a bit of grated parmesan to season. Served with savoury rice and peas, and steamed mangetout and sugar snap peas. Yup, I'm all for peas.

Dubl07

Mrs Fox wrote: »

It's been awhile since I made this lovely dish. After a long walk in the cold earlier I wanted something comforting. I was going to make creamy chicken and mushroom pasta, but I suddenly thought of this dish. So although I vouched for chicken thighs, I had bought chicken fillets, it'll have to do.
I added chicken stock for extra sauce and flavour, and threw in sauteed mushroom and onion too. I also added a bit of grated parmesan to season. Served with savoury rice and peas, and steamed mangetout and sugar snap peas. Yup, I'm all for peas.

Me too. 'Tis the season of peas and goodwill to all men.