Chicken with Tarragon Salsa Verde

A dear friend bought me a copy of  Nigella Lawson's "Instant Italian Inspiration" and I am very grateful, it's one of those "coffee table" recipe books with beautiful photography and Nigella's chatty description of the recipes.  It never fails me, if I am seeking inspiration for something that appears simple but looks impressive and tastes sublime.

Chicken ready to enjoy, presented on a camphor laurel board from Esther & Cameron



Ingredients

4 Chicken breast fillets, skin n
2 sprigs of fresh Tarragon
Pepper freshly ground
Olive oil


Small bunch of parsley, leaves only approx. 20g
Approx. 5g fresh tarragon leaves
1 spring onion in including green section, roughly chopped
Zest and juice 1 unwaxed lemon
1 teaspoon salt flakes
6 Tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil


Method

Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius
Place 1 tablespoon olive oil into a shallow ovenproof dish in which the breast fillets will set snuggly, place chicken in dish toss gently to coat in oil and have skin side up. Top with freshly ground pepper.  Tuck sprigs of Tarragon between chicken.

Cook in oven for about 30-45 minutes depending how large the chicken breasts are, until skin is golden and chicken is cooked, but still moist.

Rest chicken whilst you make the salsa Verde
For the sauce:

Combine parley and tarragon leaves with the spring onion, lemon zest, salt flakes and 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a container you can use a stick blender to whiz into a paste, adding the lemon juice and remaining 3 tablespoons of oil slowly as you blend.  Add any juices that have come from the cooked chicken and whiz again.

Cut the chicken into slices/pieces and drizzle the tarragon salsa Verde over the top and arrange on a serving platter.

Serve with baked ratatouille or favourite salad.

Wonderful!

Mamma Marmalade