Braised Chicken Tarragon
- 1 whole chicken, quartered, rinsed and patted dry
- Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 4 leeks, white and light-green parts only, halved lengthwise and then sliced into 1 inch pieces, washed well and dried
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh tarragon, plus more sprigs for garnish
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 2 1/2 cups homemade or low-sodium canned chicken stock
- 1 Tbsp freshly grated lemon zest
- 1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken, skin side down; cook until skin is browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate; set aside.
Add leeks to skillet; cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Add tarragon; cook 1 minute. Add wine; deglaze pan, scraping up any browned bits from bottom, until liquid evaporates. Add stock and zest. Cover; bring to a boil. Return chicken to skillet; simmer, covered, over medium-low heat until cooked through, 35-40 minutes.
Transfer chicken to a platter; keep warm. Place skillet over high heat; cook until sauce thickens, 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in lemon juice. To serve, spoon sauce over chicken, garnish with tarragon sprigs.