Chicken Thighs and Onions in Mustard-Tarragon Wine Sauce

Chicken thighs and red onions cooked in wine, mustard and tarragon. 

I made this for dinner on a Tuesday night, and it was exciting for two reasons--1. it was a new recipe, and came out excellently--certainly something I'll be making again and again2. it was the first night of the year warm enough to eat on the deck. In the summer, we eat dinner on the deck every night we eat at home. Eating outside made me want to move from ski season to gardening season (and especially gardening-and-not-working season). 

Anyway--this recipe was great. Very big flavors with the wine, mustard and tarragon--and very easy, too. Would have gone perfectly with just a baguette--next time I make it I'll bake some bread, too. This chicken, good bread, and a salad would be a completely perfect weeknight dinner. 

I originally found this recipe on the NYtimes website, where it called for shallots. I stopped at the grocery store by my school after work for ingredients--and at this store they don't carry overpriced white people ingredients like shallots, so I just used red onions. It was still fabulous. I would use them again next time, too.

OK it looks much prettier in the Times' picture.

Another thing--if you spend the money to buy one of those plastic packets of herbs, just go ahead and use ALL the tarragon. Put half in the sauce and sprinkle the other half on top when serving. It drives me nuts spending money on tiny amounts of herbs in plastic packages--another reason I'm excited for gardening season.

INGREDIENTS

• 8 bone-in chicken thighs
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 12 to 15 whole medium shallots, peeled
• 2 cups white wine
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 sprigs tarragon
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes, cut in half.

PREPARATION

1.

Rinse chicken thighs in water, and pat them very dry with paper towels. Sprinkle over them the flour, salt and pepper.

2.

Melt the butter in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or skillet set over medium-high heat. When the butter foams, cook the chicken, in batches if necessary, until well browned and crisp on all sides. Set aside.

3.

Add the whole shallots to the pot and sauté them in the butter and chicken fat until they begin to soften and caramelize, approximately 10 to 12 minutes. Add the wine to deglaze the pot, stir with a large spoon, then add the mustard and tarragon, then the chicken thighs. Cover the pot, turn the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes.

4.

Remove the lid, and allow the sauce to reduce and thicken, 15 to 20 minutes.

5.

Add the cherry tomatoes to the pot, stir lightly to combine and serve immediately.

The whole dinner--enjoyed on the deck! Chicken, roast carrots, potato gratin. 

Enjoy!