Chicken Breasts Tarragon

By LadyRev-2

Ingredients

• 4 whole chicken breasts (about 1 lb each), boned & skinned
• 2 Tbs olive oil
• 2 Tbs margarine or butter
• 6 shallots, chopped
• 2 pared carrots, sliced into ¼-inch rounds
• ¼ cup Cognac or brandy
• 1 cup dry white wine
• ¼ cup chopped fresh tarragon or 2 tsp dried tarragon leaves
• 1 ½ Tbs fresh chopped chervil or ½ tsp dried chervil leaves
• ½ tsp salt
• ⅛ tsp pepper
• 1 cup light cream
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 Tbs flour
• ¼ lb mushrooms, washed and thinly sliced
• 2 Tbs margarine or butter
• Springs of fresh tarragon

Preparation

Step 1

Cut whole chicken breast in half; In 6-quart Dutch oven, heat oil and 2 Tbs margarine or butter. Add chicken breasts (half at a time, enough to cover bottom on pan); Sauté, turning on all sides, until brown. Remove chicken as it browns. Brown rest of chicken.

Add shallots and carrot to drippings in Dutch oven; Sauté, stirring, 5 minutes or until golden. Return chicken to Dutch oven; heat. When hot, heat Cognac in ladle over gas flame or electric burner; ignite. Pour, flaming, over chicken. Add wine, chopped tarragon, chervil , salt & pepper.

Bring to boil; Reduce heat and simmer gently, covered, 30 minutes. Remove chicken to heated serving platter; keep warm. Strain drippings in Dutch oven (discard vegetables); Return drippings to Dutch oven. In small bowl, combine cream, egg yolk and flour; Mix well with wire whisk.

Stir mixture into drippings in Dutch oven; Bring just to boil, stirring. Add more wine if sauce seems too thick. Meanwhile, sauté mushrooms in hot margarine 5 minutes, until tender. Spoon sauce over chicken. Garnish with tarragon and mushroom