Chicken with Tarragon, Vermouth and Cream with Potato Boulangere

This is a good recipe for a nice, informal meal.  After the initial preparation it doesn't require much attention so you can relax with a glass of wine.

We made this for 9 and allowed 2 chicken thighs per person.  The great thing about this dinner is that the  quantities can easily be adjusted according to numbers.  The chicken alone would make a good light supper for 1 or 2 people, served with salad and crusty bread.

The recipe for the chicken is adapted from Real Food; an old Nigel Slater book.  If we made this again we'd use less cream than he states and have adjusted our ingredients list accordingly.  Potatoes boulangere is a good alternative to potatoes dauphinoise, which can be quite heavy, certainly if paired with another rich dish.

We used organic chicken thighs from our local butcher which made it expensive, our priciest dinner to date, but it could be done cheaper.  We've listed the vermouth as 'Store Cupboard' because it's worth investing in to use in other dishes, like risotto.

Fed 9: £2.22 per person

Chicken with Tarragon, Vermouth and Cream

Ingredients:
18 organic chicken thighs £15
75g butter approx. 35p
400ml double cream £1.30
1 1/2 bunches of fresh tarragon £1.20
Lemon 20p
Total: 18.05 

Store Cupboard:
300ml dry vermouth
4tbsp white wine vinegar
Salt and pepper

- Pre-heat the oven to 180/gas mark 4

- Season the chicken thighs on both sides with salt and pepper.  Finely chop the tarragon.

- Melt the butter in a large shallow flameproof oven tray, add the chicken (skin down) and cook until the skin is golden.  Make sure the butter doesn't burn.

- Remove the tray from the oven, take out the chicken and put to one side.

- Put the tray on the hob over a low heat and add the vermouth and vinegar.  Bring to the boil.  Scrape at any sticky bits of chicken that may be stuck to the bottom of the pan and stir into the vermouth for a minute or two. 

- Pour in the cream, add the tarragon leaves.  Return the chicken and any juices to the pan and put back in the oven for 20 minutes.  Check from time to time.

- Once the chicken is cooked through, check the seasoning, squeeze over the lemon and serve. 

Potatoes Boulangere

Ingredients:

8 potatoes £1

2 large onions (or equivalent) 40p

50g butter 50p

Total: £1.90

Store Cupboard:

Stock cubes/bouillon

300ml milk

Salt and pepper

- Pre-heat the oven to 180/gas mark 4.

- Peel the potatoes and slice thinly.

- Peel and chop the onion.

- Using some of the butter, grease a shallow oven tray.

- Arrange the potatoes and onions in layers and season as you go. Finish with a layer of potatoes.

- Mix 300ml of hot stock and pour into the tray along with the milk. Dot the top with butter.

- Bake in the oven for about 40 minutes. The top should starting to brown.

We served these with a kohlrabi, orange and watercress salad, tomatoes and bread to mop up all the juices.