Chicken in Tarragon Vinegar Sauce

(Poulet au vinaigre d'estragon, if yer puttin' on airs.)

Prep time: 90 minutes. Yields about 3 cups. Serves about 4.

Ingredients

  • 1 3½-pound chicken, quartered
  • 6 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 carrot, chopped
  • 2 large garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 T tomato paste
  • 2 large ripe tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 cup tarragon vinegar
  • 1 cup dry white wine
  • 8 large fresh tarragon sprigs (subst. 1 t dried & crumbled)
  • 3 fresh parsley sprigs
  • 3 large fresh thyme sprigs (subst. ½ t dried & crumbled)
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 t pepper
  • ¼ cup crème fraîche or whipping cream (see below)

Directions

  • Season chicken with salt and pepper. Melt butter in a heavy large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and brown on all sides, turning occasionally, about 5 minutes. Transfer chicken to plate.
  • Add onion, carrot, and garlic to the same skillet and saute until the onion is just translucent, about 3 minutes. Mix in tomato paste, then tomatoes, vinegar, wine, 4 tarragon sprigs or 1 teaspoon dried tarragon, parsley, thyme, bay leaf, and pepper.
  • Bring the mixture to a simmer. Return the chicken pieces to the skillet. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until chicken breasts are cooked through, turning chicken once, about 25 minutes. Transfer breasts to platter. Cook leg pieces until cooked through, about 5 minutes longer, and transfer to platter.
  • Pour contents of skillet through sieve or chinois, pressing hard on solids with the back of a spoon. Return sauce to skillet and boil until reduced to 1 cup, about 15 minutes.
  • Whisk in creme fraiche. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. Return chicken to skillet and simmer just until heated through, about 2 minutes.

Arrange chicken on platter. Spoon sauce over chicken. garnish with remaining tarragon sprigs and serve.

Crème Fraîche

This recipe makes about 1 cup of crème fraîche.

  • Heat 1 cup whipping cream to lukewarm (85°F).
  • Remove cream from heat and mix in 2 tablespoons buttermilk.
  • Cover and let stand in warm draft-free area until slightly thickened, 24 to 48 hours depending on the temperature of the room.
  • Refrigerate crème fraîche until ready to use. Can be prepared up to 2 weeks ahead.

Notes

This family favorite is a transcription from from the R.S.V.P. - Favorite Recipes section of an old edition of Bon Appetit. Thank you, Veronica Benson of Dayton, Ohio!

links