JAMES MARTIN’S BRAISED CHICKEN WITH RED WINE VINEGAR AND TARRAGON
Chef and TV presenter James is a GH favourite, and we love this lovely braised chicken dish from his latest cookbook, James Martin’s French Adventure.
‘Tarragon is such a classic French herb and the red wine vinegar really lifts the sauce’
Hands-on time 15min. Cooking time about 45min. Serves 4
1-2tbsp olive oil 1 x 1.25-1.5kg (2lb 12oz-3lb 5oz) chicken, jointed into 8 portions Knob of butter 1tsp tomato purée 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 50ml (2fl oz) red wine vinegar 110ml (3¾fl oz) white wine 500ml (17fl oz) chicken stock 2 tomatoes, skinned 1 heaped tsp Dijon mustard 250ml (9fl oz) whipping cream 1tbsp chopped tarragon Buttery mash and seasonal vegetables, to serve
Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan) mark 4. Heat the olive oil in a large ovenproof frying pan or flameproof casserole over medium to high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and fry in batches to a good golden crisp all over.
Remove chicken from the pan, then tip out the fat, wipe the pan clean and add the butter. Stir in the tomato purée and cook over medium heat for 2min, then add the garlic and cook for a further 1min. Add the vinegar and reduce until it has all but disappeared. Add the wine and reduce by a third. Pour in the chicken stock and bring to a simmer, then return the chicken to the pan, cover with a lid and transfer to the oven. Cook for 20min or until chicken is cooked through and tender.
Meanwhile, quarter the tomatoes and scoop out seeds. Cut the tomato flesh into small dice and set aside.
Remove the pan from the oven, lift out the chicken pieces and keep warm while you finish the sauce. Strain the sauce through a sieve into a clean saucepan and bring back to the boil. Whisk in the mustard and cream, then simmer to reduce and thicken slightly, about 10min. Check the seasoning, then add the diced tomato and tarragon.
Pour the sauce over the chicken and serve with buttery mash and seasonal vegetables.