Tarragon Chicken

Artemisia dracunculus.

Dragon's Wort.

Tarragon.

One of France's fines herbes and best friend to chicken. I tried my hand at tarragon chicken tonight and really came up with a winner. This was quick, simple and delicious.

I stripped the leaves off 2 big sprigs of tarragon, chopped them fine and mixed them into some butter (I can't say how much because I'm still suffused with shame from the cream of mayonnaise broccoli soup). I chopped up another sprig and set aside.

I had three bone-in, split chicken breasts, so six pieces. I put three on each baking sheet, then took a teaspoon of the herbed butter and slipped it under the skin.

I sprinkled the chicken with a little garlic powder, sea salt, pepper, and the remaining chopped tarragon.

Baked at 375 for 30 minutes, then rotated the pans in the oven, and baked another 35 minutes.  After taking out, I tented them with foil and let sit while I steamed some green beans, and the roasted sunchokes and brussels sprouts were finishing up.

A kick ass dinner, if I do say so myself.  And leftovers to make Ina Garten's chicken salad Véronique for lunch tomorrow.

Hold that thought.

Parmesan Chicken

This is another Ina Garten miracle which takes basic breaded chicken cutlets and gives them that extra somethin-somethin'. I've made these with seasoned bread crumbs, and also with panko breadcrumbs. I've used the fresh breadcrumbs as well but it's a different texture. For these, I actually prefer the dried.

Parmesan Chicken

  • Chicken breast cutlets, pounded to 1/4" thickness (you can use whole cutlets, or cut into fingers, or even into nuggets)
  • 1 1/4 cup seasoned breadcrumbs or seasoned panko breadcrumbs
  • 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese (I buy what's called "homestyle" parmesan which is very fine shreds, and it works fine)
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 2 eggs, beaten

Set up one shallow dish with the flour, another with the eggs, another with the breadcrumbs mixed with the parmesan.

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.

Dredge the chicken in the flour, shaking off the excess. Dredge in the eggs, then in the breadcrumbs, patting them gently to make them stick.

Fry both sides until golden brown, about 4 minutes a side. Keep warm on a platter while you fry the rest.

Redman refers to this as chicken-in-the-pan and always must have applesauce or stewed apples on the side.

Easy. Peasy. Lemon squeezy.

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