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Chicken Breasts with Tarragon Butter

Source of Recipe

From "The Home Cook" by Alex Guarnaschelli


Recipe Introduction

"Tarragon is one of those ingredients that takes me straight to a French bistro. I imagine myself with a glass of super-dry white wine, the bustle of people around me, and this chicken dish in front of me. I never thought about how much a little butter could add to chicken until I tasted a dish as simple and tasty as this. When the thyme links up with the tarragon butter as it comes out of the oven, the combination is simply herbaceous. The Maldon salt also adds more texture. For an even deeper flavor, make the tarragon butter and let it sit in the fridge overnight."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 2 tablespoons canola oil
â—¦ 2 (8-ounce) skin-on, bone-in chicken breasts
â—¦ Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
â—¦ 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
â—¦ 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
â—¦ Grated zest and some juice from 2 lemons
â—¦ Leaves from 4 sprigs fresh tarragon, coarsely chopped (about 1 tablespoon)
â—¦ Maldon sea salt


Recipe

Preheat the oven to 350° F.

In a medium ovenproof sauté pan, heat the canola oil over medium heat. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with the thyme leaves. When the oil begins to smoke lightly, remove the pan from the heat and add the chicken breasts, skin side down. Return the pan to the heat and brown the skin for 5 to 7 minutes. Turn the chicken pieces over and put the pan in the center of the oven.

Cook the chicken until the skin is golden brown and the juice runs clear when you pierce the flesh gently with the tip of a knife, 20 to 25 minutes. (Alternatively, a meat thermometer should register 160° F when inserted into the thickest part of the breast meat.)

Meanwhile, make the tarragon butter: In a small bowl, whisk the butter with the lemon zest and a couple squeezes of lemon juice. Stir the tarragon into the butter and season it with Maldon salt.

When the chicken is cooked, remove the pan from the oven and squeeze any remaining lemon juice over the meat. Before removing the chicken from the pan, smear some of the tarragon butter on the flesh side of the chicken. Arrange the chicken breasts, skin side up, on a serving platter and top with the remaining butter. Serve immediately.

Serves 2