Pan-Roasted Chicken with Tarragon Mustard Cream
By Chef John Ash
Chef Ash recommends using skin-on, boneless breasts with the end of the wing bone still attached for this recipe. Your butcher can easily do this for you. The mustard and tarragon are classic ingredients to pair with Chardonnay, in this case, our Russian River Ranches with its lovely balanced fruit.
Serves 4
Total Time 30 minutes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Difficulty Level Easy
Ingredients
4 skin-on boneless chicken breasts
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
2 c chicken stock (homemade or canned)
1/2 c dry white wine
2 tbsp grainy Dijon mustard
2/3 c crème fraîche or heavy cream
2 tsp fresh chopped tarragon (1 teaspoon dried)
Salt free seasoning mix
Sea salt, freshly ground pepper
Fresh watercress
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a heavy sauté pan large enough to hold the breasts in a single layer heat the butter and oil over moderately high heat. Season the breasts liberally on both sides with salt, pepper, and salt-free seasoning mix if you so desire. Place breasts skin side down in the pan and cook until skin is nicely browned and beginning to crisp.
Turn breasts skin side up and place in the oven for 12 – 14 minutes or until just cooked thru but still juicy. Set breast aside and keep warm. Pour off any fat from pan and over medium heat add stock and wine and deglaze the pan stirring up any of the browned bits and boil until reduced by half.
Add mustard and crème fraîche and continue to boil until reduced to a nice sauce consistency, about 4 minutes. Stir in tarragon and season to your taste with salt and pepper. Serve with cress and sauce spooned around.
