Petite Blanquette de Poulet a l'Estragon (Tarragon Chicken)

Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 75 min
Servings: 8
Yield: 8 servings

Description

Chicken and mushrooms are served in a velvety cream, lemon, and tarragon sauce in this petite blanquette de poulet a l'estragon (tarragon chicken) recipe.

Ingredients

1 whole clove
1 whole onion
6 cups water
7 fluid ounces white wine
1 stalk celery, cut into chunks
1 clove garlic
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 sprig fresh parsley
salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 (3 pound) whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces
2 carrots, cut into chunks
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 1/2 ounces butter
4 1/2 ounces fresh mushrooms, trimmed and halved
3 tablespoons heavy cream
1 lemon, juiced
1 egg yolk
1 sprig fresh tarragon leaves, finely chopped

Directions

1 Pierce whole clove into onion; place into a large soup pot. Add water, white wine, celery, garlic, thyme, parsley, salt, and black pepper; bring to a boil over medium heat. Add chicken pieces and carrots, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. Transfer chicken pieces to a bowl; strain stock. Reserve about 2 cups stock; discard vegetables and herbs.
2 Sprinkle chicken pieces with flour. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken; cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to a plate; set aside. Add mushrooms to the skillet; cook, stirring occasionally, until just starting to brown, about 10 minutes.
3 Return chicken to the skillet; pour in enough reserved stock to barely cover chicken and mushrooms (about 2 cups). Cover skillet; simmer 20 minutes. Transfer chicken and mushrooms to a serving dish. Boil remaining liquid until reduced by half, stirring constantly, about 10 minutes.
4 Whisk cream, lemon juice, and egg yolk together in a bowl; remove skillet from the heat. Gradually whisk egg yolk mixture into reduced stock until sauce thickens; whisk in tarragon. Serve sauce over chicken and mushrooms.