mattersoftaste.com.au

Chicken Pancetta Tarragon Braise

method

1. Remove skin from pancetta and cut meat into ½cm chunks. Add to large pan over medium heat and fry for a few minutes, until fat renders and pancetta crisps. If dry, add a couple of teaspoons of olive oil to pan. Remove pancetta from pan and set aside on absorbent kitchen paper.
2. Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Turn heat to medium high and fry chicken in pancetta fat for 3 minutes each side to colour well. Remove from pan and set aside.
3. Meanwhile peel and slice onion. Add to frying pan, turn heat to medium and continue to cook for a couple of minutes, until soft. Add crushed garlic and immediately after, scatter over flour. Stir to form a roux and cook for a minute, until ‘sandy’.
4. Pour vinegar and sherry into pan and allow to come to a boil. Stir to incorporate flour mixture. Add stock and stir again, making sure base of pan is clean and all caramelised residue has been stirred into sauce.
5. Roughly chop half tarragon leaves and stir into braise.
6. Replace pancetta and chicken to pan.
7. Cover pan and turn heat down to simmer chicken gently for 5 minutes. Turn chicken pieces over and continue to simmer for a further 10 minutes, until chicken is cooked through.
8. Remove chicken from pan and rest on warm covered plate. Add cream to sauce and simmer, stirring for about a minute.
9. Serve chicken with sauce and scatter with remaining tarragon.
10. Accompany with simple vegetables.

cooks notes

• Use good quality sherry vinegar. We recommend the De Soto brand.
• If using dried tarragon, add 1 teaspoon to dish whilst cooking and none when serving. Dried herbs are stronger in flavour than fresh.
• Serve this chicken dish with plain accompaniments. Try spinach, beans, broccoli or baby peas.
• Mashed potato, plain boiled basmati rice or pappardelle are alternative accompaniments.
• The flavour in this dish certainly improves over time and can be made in advance.
• Be careful to not overcook chicken, as if re-heating it can dry out.