pat's Recipe

Chicken Breasts Tarragon

Category: Poultry

4 whole chicken breasts ( about 1 lb each)
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp butter
6 shallots, chopped
2 pared carrots, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
1/4 cup Cognac or brandy
1 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup chopped fresh tarragon or 2 tsp
dried tarragon leaves
1 1/2 Tbsp fresh chervil leaves or 1/2 tsp
dried chervil leaves
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 cup light cream
1 egg yolk
1 Tbsp flour
1/4 lb mushrooms, washed, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp butter
sprigs of fresh tarragon

Remove skin from chicken; cut whole breasts in half/ In 6-qt Dutch oven, heat oil and 2 Tbsp butter. Add chicken breasts (half at a time, enough to cover bottom of pan); saute, turning on all side, until brown. Remove chicken as it browns. Brown rest of chicken.
To drippings in Dutch oven, add shallot and carrot; saute, stirring, 5 minutes or until golden. Return chicken to Dutch oven; heat. When hot, heat cognac in ladle over gas flame or electric butner; ignite. Pour, flaming over chicken. Add wine, chopped tarragon, chervil, salt and pepper.
Bring to boiling; reduce heat and simmer gently, covered, 30 minutes. Remove chicken to heated serving platter; keep warm. Strain drippings in Dutch oven (discard vegetables); return drippings to Dutch oven. In small bowl, combine cream, egg yolk and flour; mix well with wire whisk.
Stir into drippins in Dutch oven; bring just to boiling; stirring. Add more wine if sauce seems too thick. Meanwhile, saute mushrooms in hot butter for 5 minutes, until tender. Spoon sauce over chicken. Garnish with tarragon and mushrooms.

serves 8