Roast Chicken with Tarragon

A play on an old French classic. Deceptively simple but still a real crowd-pleaser.

(Serves 4)

Ingredients

• 4 free-range chicken breasts (or 1 whole free-range chicken, jointed)
• salt and pepper
• 50 ml olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 150 ml cream
• 1/4 cup tarragon leaves, chopped
• 300 g Desiree potatoes (skin on), boiled, sliced and pan-fried
• 3 large handfuls sprouting broccoli, washed and blanched

Method

Preheat oven to 200°C. Season chicken with salt and pepper and place skinside down into a hot, heavy-based, ovenproof frying pan with olive oil. Fry until skin turns a golden brown and then place in oven for 5–6 minutes or until almost cooked. Carefully remove from oven and allow to rest skin-side up. The heat remaining in the frying pan will continue the cooking process.

Once the chicken has rested, pour the cooking juices into a separate saucepan. Bring the juices to the boil, add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add chicken stock and reduce by half. Add cream and bring to the boil again. Add tarragon and season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and keep warm.

Arrange the cooked potatoes and broccoli on four plates, carve chicken and place on top. Drizzle with tarragon cream and serve immediately.

John Hawkesby’s wine recommendation

Chardonnay
Osawa Flying Mouton 2009

Pinot Noir
Stoneleigh Latitude 2010