Chicken with tarragon, sunblush tomatoes and star anise

Serves: 6
Course: Main Course
Cooking Time: 0 hr 20 mins

Ingredients

  • Serves six
  • 6 skinless chicken breasts
  • 2 tbsp sweet paprika
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 lemons, zest and juice
  • 6 sprigs tarragon (reserve the leaves from 2 sprigs for finishing dish)
  • 1-2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 clove of garlic, crushed
  • 6 star anise
  • 3 shallots, finely chopped
  • 75ml white wine
  • 200ml chicken stock, hot
  • 200ml double cream or crème fraîche
  • 100g sunblush (semi-sundried tomatoes)
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Put the chicken breasts between two sheets of clingfilm and lightly bash them with a rolling pin to an even thickness. Marinate the chicken breasts in paprika, oil and lemon juice and zest and tarragon sprigs, for at least four hours, then discard the marinade.

Heat a large, heavy-based pan over a medium high heat. Add some oil and seal the chicken breasts on both sides, in two batches (without scorching the pan). Reduce the heat slightly and, adding a little more oil if necessary, add the garlic, star anise and shallots to the pan, stirring in the gaps between the chicken, for one minute.

Add the wine, bring to the boil and then add the hot chicken stock. Stir the sauce around the chicken, then cover the pan with a lid and cook over a medium heat for eight to 10 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked. Stir in the cream and sunblush tomatoes and season well. Just before serving, bring the sauce back to the boil, simmer for a few minutes and garnish with the reserved tarragon leaves.

Serve with mashed potato, baked potato or rice.