Serves 4 / Chef Mara Jernigan, owner of Vancouver Island's Engeler Farm in the Cowichan Valley, makes this dish from fresh local ingredients, including the unfermented juice (verjuice) of Siegrebbe grapes harvested from her own organic vines. Try the cranberry tarragon sauce as a flavorful alternative to Thanksgiving turkey gravy.
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Salt and pepper
4 boneless chicken breasts, skin on
3/4 cup verjuice or fruity white wine (such as Gewürztraminer), divided
2 large shallots, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1-1/2 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup fat-free half-and-half or whipping cream
1 cup sun-dried cranberries
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon
1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. On the stovetop, preheat a large, stainless-steel skillet over medium-high heat. In a shallow dish, combine flour with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken breasts in flour and place in skillet, skin side down (cooking chicken with skin on will keep the meat moist). Sear chicken breasts on both sides until golden. Transfer chicken to baking dish; place in oven and bake for 12-15 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, return skillet to stovetop, reducing heat to medium. Drain and discard chicken grease, but do not wash the pan. Deglaze pan with half the verjuice, scraping the bottom with a wooden spoon. Add shallots, garlic, chicken stock, and cream, and simmer until reduced to a consistency that coats the back of a wooden spoon.
4. Add remaining verjuice, sun-dried cranberries, and lemon juice. Stirring with a whisk, reduce sauce a bit more, then season with salt and pepper and add chopped tarragon.
5. To serve, slice chicken breasts on an angle and fan out on a plate. Top each breast with a generous helping of sauce.
Calories 356,Fat 8,Perfat 21,Cholesterol 83,Carbo 37,Protein 33
