Tarragon Chicken ... it's terrific !

Today, I am sharing a Chicken recipe, inspired by a French classic. It is a rich, creamy and fragrant chicken dish. Simple but stylish, which makes it perfect for both casual suppers and dinner parties, Covid restrictions allowing!

Ingredients

Serves Four
2 tbsp butter
3 tbsp olive oil
8 chicken thighs, bone in and skin removed
6 garlic cloves, sliced in half lengthways
4 large shallots, peeled and finely sliced
8 rashers smoked streaky bacon, rind removed and sliced into 2cm/¾in pieces
280g/10oz chestnut mushrooms, roughly chopped
400ml/14fl oz dry cider
4 tsp Dijon mustard
30g/1oz tarragon leaves, finely chopped
150ml/5fl oz double (heavy) cream
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Melt the butter and 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large casserole dish over a medium heat. Season the chicken thighs and fry on both sides until golden before removing and setting aside.
2. Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in the casserole and add the garlic, shallots and bacon. Sauté for about 8 minutes, stirring often, until the shallots have softened and the bacon has started to colour.
3. Add the mushrooms, fry for a few minutes and then add the cider, mustard and half of the tarragon. Return the chicken to the casserole and bring to a simmer. Place the lid half on and gently cook for about 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
4. Stir in the cream, bring back to a simmer and cook for 2 minutes with the lid off. Season with salt and pepper to taste, scatter over the remaining tarragon and serve.

Recipe Tips

Some may like to serve this dish with basmati rice, or creamy mashed potatoes.

A lower carb alternative would be cauliflower rice, or mashed swede.

However, a big pile of greens, such as steamed spinach, chard or green beans is lovely too.

From original idea here

Tarragon is a popular and versatile herb, it has an intense flavour that's a unique mix of sweet aniseed and a mild vanilla. The leaves are narrow, tapering and slightly floppy, growing from a long, slender stem. It's a key herb in French cuisine (it's an essential ingredient in sauce Bernaise), and goes very well with eggs, cheese and poultry.

For readers who may like a vegetarian recipe, there are five choices here

For readers who may prefer a vegan recipe, have a look at these five choices here

Dear reader, you will find a variety of articles and recipe ideas within this blog. It is important to note, not all may be suitable for you. If you may have any food allergies, or underlying health issues these must always be taken into account. If you are a diabetic and not sure how certain foods may affect your blood sugars, test is best, i.e. use your meter.

All the best Jan