Poached tarragon chicken

Name: Poached tarragon chicken
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1 small Fennel bulb, sliced; 1 medium Carrot, sliced; 2 sprigs French tarragon (Main); 2 sprigs Thyme; 2 sprigs Rosemary; 1 Bay leaf; 1 ½ cups Dry white wine; 1 ½ cups Water; 1 cube Chicken stock; 1 ⅕ kgs Boneless chicken thighs, skinned, 8 thighs (Main); 2 Egg yolks; ¾ cup Cream; 2 sprigs French tarragon, large, chopped (Main); 1 Tbsp Lemon juice; 1 tsp Cornflour

for 4 people

Jan Bilton

Food writer and cookbook author.

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French tarragon has the best flavour. It is one of the classic fines herbes of French cuisine.

For the poached chicken

1 small	Fennel bulb, sliced
1 medium	Carrot, sliced
2 sprigs	French tarragon (Main)
2 sprigs	Thyme
2 sprigs	Rosemary
1	Bay leaf
1 ½ cups	Dry white wine
1 ½ cups	Water
1 cube	Chicken stock
1 ⅕ kgs	Boneless chicken thighs, skinned, 8 thighs (Main)

For the sauce

2	Egg yolks
¾ cup	Cream
2 sprigs	French tarragon, large, chopped (Main)
1 Tbsp	Lemon juice
1 tsp	Cornflour

Directions

Place all the ingredients for the poached chicken into a large frying pan. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for about 30 minutes or until cooked.
Remove from the heat and stand for 10 minutes. Place the chicken in a bowl and cover.
Strain 2 cups of the stock into a saucepan. Boil until reduced by half.
To make the sauce, whisk the egg yolks, cream and tarragon in a jug. Whisk in a little of the reduced stock then pour back into the saucepan with the lemon juice. Mix the cornflour with a little water and stir into the sauce. Stir over low heat until it just begins to thicken.
Return the chicken to the clean frying pan and add the sauce. Heat through gently.