Sauteed chicken breasts with tarragon

Happy New Year!!! I know I always state the obvious in my blog, but gosh, lighting makes such a big difference in photos. I cooked this meal during the day, even though to me it was more of a dinner, but it was totally worth it. I wanted to make this first post of 2012 special so I decided to choose a recipe out of my Thomas Keller cookbook called "Ad Hoc at Home". I made Sauteed Chicken Breasts with Tarragon and I must say that tarragon has really started to make an impression on me lately. I've used it for this asaparagus soup recipe that I will have to post sometimes and now this dish. This recipe was so easy and I will definitely be making it again. I paired the chicken with a simple salad with this amazing pear champagne vinaigrette and pears from Trader Joes and some white wine that I used in the dish.

I really tried to focus on the photography this time around. I tried experimenting with the shutter speed to get a shot of the sauce being poured onto the chicken, but failed miserably. I forgot that with a faster shutter speed came no light captured so all my pictures turned out black. Well, at least I'm learning. I also spent a lot of time trying to think of styling techniques which is why I bought the flowers, cheese and a baguette. I thought they would be a good backdrop and have been craving RedHawk's Cowgirl Creamery (the cheese that is displayed). It is the stinkiest cheese I've ever had, but SUPER good so try it! ;)

I'm not really sure what I will be cooking next, but I will make sure that it is sometime soon! I want to try to post at least once a week. Wish me luck! Here is the recipe for the chicken. I will go back to putting the recipe on a picture from photoshop, but didn't get the ideal picture for that this time around.

Ingredients:

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp curry powder

6 chicken breasts

salt

canola oil

3 tbsp unsalted butter

1 tbsp minced shallot

1/4 cup dry white wine

1 cup chicken stock

1 tbsp coursely chopped tarragon, plus 1 tbsp tarragon leaves

black pepper

Instructions:

1. Mix the paprika and curry powder in a small bowl and season the chicken breasts on both sides. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours. (I did this for about 1 hour out of impatience)

2. Lay each chicken breast between two large pieces of plastic wrap and pound until about 1/4 inch thick. (This part is fun)

3. Season the chicken with salt and heat on a pan with canola oil for about 1 to 1.5 minutes on one side. Flip over for another 1 to 1.5 minutes until fully cooked through.

4. Set chicken aside, perhaps in an oven at 200 degrees to keep warm.

5. Melt 1 tbsp of butter in the same pan and add shallots for about 30 seconds.

6. Pour in the white wine and cook for about a minute before adding the chicken stock.

7. Bring the mixture to a boil then stir in the chopped tarragon and remaining 2 tbsp of butter.

8. If there is any juices from the chicken in the oven, add that too.

9. Season with salt and pepper and serve with chicken.