Chicken Breasts with Tarragon

Invite your boyfriend's mother over for lunch!  Go on...you'll love it, and so will she.  Uncork a nice cold pinot grigio to share while you're making this, and then settle in for the afternoon so you can talk wonderfully and sweetly about the man you both love.  It's a day neither one of you will ever forget.

I made this for the mother of my first real serious boyfriend, the one right after college that you're SO crazy about you just know for SURE you're going to marry no matter what.  I did get two marriage proposals from him but, sadly, it was not meant to be.  Though we have long since parted, he will remain in my heart forever, as will this day with his mother.  Porter and Leila, this is for you...

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Warning:  Don't let the tarragon in this recipe fool you into thinking this is a delicate dish.  It's a throwback recipe of my grandmothers, created in the 1950's, when lunch was not only a meal, but an event.  It's filling, so I like to pair it only with a cool salad of romaine leaves and a light vinaigrette...and of course, 750 delicious milliliters of the chilled pinot grigio mentioned above.  



2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (pounded thin)
1/4 cup flour + 3 tbs.
5 tbs butter
1 tbs. chopped shallot
1/2 cup (maybe more!) dry white wine
1 tsp. dried tarragon
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup half & half
fresh parsley (for garnish)



meat pounder

Salt and pepper front and back of chicken breasts, then dust lightly in flour.

In skillet, melt 3 tbs. butter.  Brown chicken and transfer to platter.  Add shallots to skillet and sauté briefly.  Add wine.  Cook liquid over med-high heat until almost evaporated, scraping sides of pan.  Mix remaining flour together with some extra wine, and add to pan.  Add tarragon.  Stir in chicken broth and whisk. 

Return chicken to skillet and wash/dry platter.  Cover and simmer on low for 25 minutes.  Remove chicken to platter.

Drop remaining butter in skillet.  Add cream and whisk.  Heat, stir, and pour over chicken.  Sprinkle with some fresh chopped parsley and serve immediately (serves 2)