Tarragon Chicken

This rich French dish can stand on its own when served with just a tossed salad and some crusty bread.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 8 chicken thighs, skin removed
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, peeled and diced
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1 cup chicken broth
• ½ teaspoon dried tarragon
• 1 cup heavy cream

1. Add ½ cup of the flour, the salt, and the chicken thighs to a gallon plastic bag; close and shake to coat the chicken. Add the butter and oil to a large sauté pan and bring it to temperature over medium-high heat. Add the chicken thighs; brown the chicken by cooking it on one side for 5 minutes, and then turning the pieces and frying them for another 5 minutes. Drain the chicken on papers towels and then place in the slow cooker. Cover the slow cooker. Set temperature to low.
2. Add the onion to the sauté pan; sauté until the onion is transparent. Stir in 2 tablespoons of flour, cooking the flour until the onion just begins to brown. Slowly pour the wine into the pan, stirring to scrape the browned bits off of the bottom of the pan and into the sauce. Add the broth. Cook and stir for 15 minutes or until the sauce is thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. Stir the tarragon into the sauce, and then pour the sauce over the chicken in the slow cooker. Cover and cook for 4–8 hours.
3. Pour the cream into the slow cooker; cover and cook for an additional 15 minutes or until the cream is heated through. Test for seasoning and add additional salt and tarragon if needed. Serve immediately.

Tarragon Chicken Cooking Times

After 4 hours, the chicken will be cooked through. If you want to leave the chicken cooking all day, after 8 hours the meat will fall away from the bone. You can then remove the bones before you stir in the cream.