Tarragon Chicken with Shallots

This recipe is from Risha Zimmern, Andrew Zimmern’s wife. Andrew is the host of the Travel Channel’s “Bizarre Foods.”

I didn’t have fresh tarragon, so I used dried. It’s not the same. And in retrospect, I’d lose the tomatoes and use mushrooms instead, adding them in at Step 7. Still, it was tasty.

Ingredients 

• CHICKEN THIGHS, 8, bone-in
• FLOUR, 2 tablespoons
• KOSHER SALT, 1 tablespoon
• BLACK PEPPER, 1 TABLESPOON FRESHLY GROUND
• BUTTER, unsalted, 2 tablespoons
• SHALLOTS, 12-18 whole medium, peeled
• WHITE WINE, 2 cups
• DIJON MUSTARD, 2 tablespoons
• TARRAGON, 2 sprigs
• CHERRY TOMATOES, cut in half, 2 cups

Directions 

1. Rinse the chicken and pat dry. Sprinkle with flower, salt and pepper.
2. Melt the butter over medium heat in a large, heavy pot or skillet.
3. Cook the chicken until well-browned and crisp on all sides. Set aside.
4. Add the shallots to the pot, saute in the butter and chicken fat for 10-12 minutes until they begin to caramelize.
5. Deglaze the pot with wine, then add the mustard and tarragon.
6. Add the chicken thighs, cover, turn the heat to low, and simmer for 30 minutes.
7. Remove the lid and cook an additional 15-20 minutes until the sauce reduces and thickens.
8. Add the cherry tomatoes to the pot, stir and serve immediately.