TARRAGON, THE HERB YOU DON’T KNOW

Earthy flavour goes perfectly with chicken in this simple recipe that requires minimal preparation and is perfect for an after-work meal

Lacking the sun-drenched allure of basil and the practical ubiquity of parsley, tarragon will never win any herbal popularity contests in Asia. It’s not that we don’t like its earthy flavour. It’s just that most of us don’t think to use it, at least not to the degree that cooks in Europe do.

This is especially true in France, where tarragon is everywhere: simmered into soups, steeped in vinegars and mustards, strewn on fish, tossed with salads of soft lettuces.

But perhaps its most constant companion is chicken. The tarragon perfumes the bird’s flesh and mingles with its meaty juices. In many French chicken recipes, the tarragon is whisked into the pan drippings along with butter or cream to create a sauce.

This is a different take, starting with the fact that there is no sauce whatsoever.

Instead, the tarragon flavour infuses the chicken through lengthy marinating. Plan on at least six hours. Even better, start marinating the chicken the night before. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours and just gets more delicious as it sits in the pungent mix of tarragon and grated garlic.

That’s just about it for the prep, all done in advance. The only chopping left to do is slicing a couple of onions just before cooking, which makes this an ideal after-work meal if you’ve done a little planning.

Those onions are roasted in the same pan as the chicken, benefiting both parties. The onions soak up the rendering chicken fat; the chicken absorbs the heady onion steam. A few thyme sprigs scattered on top add their woodsy perfume. As the chicken skin crisps, the onions caramelise, turning golden and very sweet. To balance out their sweetness, add a little acid before serving; that will sharpen things up.

You could reach for tarragon vinegar, if you have some on hand, and stay within the tarragon theme. But I prefer sherry vinegar, which adds a subtle nuttiness along with the tang. Lemon or lime juice are also nice, adding a clean, fruity sharpness. Then you can use the same vinegar or citrus juice to dress whatever kind of salad you serve alongside the chicken.

While you could substitute basil or rosemary here, try this with the tarragon at least once. Then maybe this delightful herb will come to mind a little more often.