Recipe: Chicken Breasts with Garlic Wine (Poulet au Vin d'Ail)

CHICKEN BREASTS WITH GARLIC WINE
(Poulet au Vin d'Ail)
Source: The Cooking of Southwest France: Recipes from France's Magnificent Rustic Cuisine by Paula Wolfert
Serves 4

3/4 cup Garlic Wine (recipe follows)
4 boneless chicken breast halves, skin on
Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Flour, for dredging
2 tablespoons clarified butter
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons fresh tarragon, plus additional for seasoning
1/3 cup heavy cream

Make the Garlic Wine 1 to 2 days in advance.

Trim the chicken breasts and cut away fat and sinews. Remove the thin fillet that looks like a long strip on the boned side (Save these strips in the refrigerator or freezer for use at some other time for a quick saut .) Place the chicken breasts between sheets of plastic wrap and flatten lightly with a rolling pin. Season with salt and pepper. Dredge the breasts in flour, shaking off the excess.

Heat the clarified butter and oil in a large skillet over moderately high heat until sizzling. Add the chicken breasts and saut on both sides, until lightly browned and just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a platter and cover with foil to keep warm.

Discard all but 1 tablespoon fat from the skillet. Add the tarragon and cook over gentle heat for 10 seconds. Deglaze with the garlic wine and 1/3 cup water and bring to a boil. Add the cream and boil to reduce until thick enough to coat a spoon. Adjust the seasoning with salt, pepper, and more tarragon to taste. Pour the sauce over the chicken and serve at once.

GARLIC WINE
Makes 1 cup

9 garlic cloves
2 sprigs of thyme
2 sprigs of tarragon
1/4 teaspoon freshly crushed peppercorns
1 cup dry white wine

Halve the garlic cloves. If you see any green shoots, remove them. Put the garlic, thyme, tarragon, and crushed peppercorns in a 1-pint canning jar.

Bring the wine to a boil in an enameled or stainless steel saucepan. Pour over the garlic and seasonings in the jar. Let cool, then cover and refrigerate for 1 to 2 days.

Strain the wine through cheesecloth and return to a clean jar; discard the solids. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.