Tarragon Chicken

Here's a chicken recipe that's great for a quick weekday meal but is elegant enough for company.  The sauce can be used over veal, and even fish.





Yields: 4 servings
Cooking Time: 30 min Start to finish: 30 min

Ingredients:

• 4 (1/3-inch-thick) chicken cutlets (1 1/2 lb)
• 1 tablespoon (13 g) olive oil
• 1 tablespoon  (14 g) unsalted butter
• 1 medium shallot, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup (119 g) dry white wine or dry vermouth
• 3/4 cup (182 g) heavy cream or (evaporated caned milk)
  
• 4 or 5 plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh tarragon
• 1/2 extra-large chicken-bouillon cube, crumbled

• Garnish: finely chopped fresh chives

• Accompaniment: rice or mashed potatoes

Directions:
Pat chicken dry and season with salt and pepper.
Heat oil and butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides. Brown chicken on both sides in 2 batches, about 3 minutes per batch. Transfer chicken to a plate and keep warm.

Add shallot to skillet and cook, stirring, until tender, about 1 minute. Add wine and deglaze by boiling over high heat, scraping up brown bits, until reduced by half. Stir in cream, tomatoes, tarragon, and bouillon cube, then simmer, stirring, until tomatoes are softened and sauce begins to thicken, 3 to 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Return chicken, with any juices accumulated on plate, to skillet and simmer until cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes.

Serve immediately.

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