Chicken and Tarragon

There is no rule that says Sunday dinner needs to be chicken. There is, however, a certain comfort in the lingering and evolving aroma of a slow-cooked chicken dish. There is some earthy and embracing about it.

Yes, it sounds silly, but who amongst you did not at some point equate food with love?

Tonight I made one of our favorites: chicken breasts with tarragon and chickpeas.

The tarragon is the perfect aromatic here and a bit of lemon extract gives it a depth that is intoxicating.

This is a very simple dish whose prep takes less than five minutes. Drain two cans of garbanzos and season with garlic powder, pepper and a dash of tarragon. Add a teaspoon of lemon extract and mix. I generally do this right in the pot so I don’t even dirty a bowl in the process.

We cut bone-in chicken breasts in half and season with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Place the chicken over the beans. Drizzle with a teaspoon of lemon extract and three tablespoons of olive oil. Top the chicken with dried tarragon and cover.

Start cooking at a medium high heat for about 10 minutes and then cook at a medium low heat for about 45 minutes or until juices run clear.

Can you add slices of fresh garlic? Sure. Can you use other forms of heat? Of course!

Leftovers, including the liquid that collects as you cook, make for an awesome base for soup.

The chicken, unless you cook it at a very high heat, retains juiciness and leftovers are great for sandwiches or chicken salad (if you like such things).

It’s a great taste, but the aroma! It’s the aroma that’ll make you fall in love with it.