Tarragon Lemon Chicken & Boulangère Potatoes

Chicken is probably the one food I could not live without, and luckily for me, it is a natural product, full of protein, with no gluten in it :)! The good thing about chicken is that there are so many ways of cooking it, roast, baked, grilled, fried, and whichever way you may choose to cook it, it's simply delicious... unless of course you dry it out! 

I cook chicken at least twice a week. Usually for Sunday lunch, for myself (as my partner is a huge meat lover so he gets an alternative option) and of course every Tuesday, when my brother and his wife come over for dinner. Some of my friends insist that I am the fussiest eater they've met... clearly they have not spent much time with my brother, who practically lives on chicken. What's more, he is obsessed with potatoes with the ratio of intake probably being about 1 bite of chicken per every 10 potatoes. So, every Tuesday, it's chicken and potato dinner all round, no questions asked!

Obviously, I try to change the recipes every week so as to not give everyone else reason to complain for having chicken every single time we meet up. Sometimes, Chinese stir fry, sometimes roast, sometimes bbq-grilled - so far I have never failed to satisfy the families rumbling bellies. Impressive what different flavours and textures each marinade can result in. 

The below recipe received quite a bit of praise. It is simple to follow, quick to prepare and very rich in flavour.  It is a great dish to serve for Sunday lunch with a side of salad and some fresh bread. 

                                      

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Ingredients: 

For the potatoes: 
- 450g potatoes, thinly sliced 
- 2 onions, finely sliced
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 50g butter, diced
- 300ml vegetable stock 
- chopped parsley 
- sea salt & ground black pepper

For the chicken: 
- 90g unsalted butter 
- 2 tbsp chopped chives
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
- 2 tbsp lemon juice 
- ½ tsp dried tarragon leave 
- ¼ tsp paprika 
- 4 chicken breasts 
- salt & pepper 

Method:

Preheat the over to 180 degrees. Grease the base and sides of an ovenproof dish. Line the dish with some of the sliced potatoes. Scatter some of the onions and garlic powder on top. Layer up the remaining potatoes and onions, seasoning between each layer. 

Push the potatoes down into the dish and top with cubed butter. Pour the stock over and bake in the oven for an hour, covering after 40 minutes if the top starts to brown. 

Whilst the potatoes are baking, place 90g unsalted butter in a small pan over low heat, stirring until melted. Add the chives, coriander, lemon juice, tarragon and paprika. Remove from heat. Place chicken breasts in a bowl. Pour butter & herb mixture over the chicken breasts and coat evenly. Season with salt and pepper. 

Heat a griddle pan and grill the chicken breasts slowly until tender and golden, turning and basting frequently with remaining butter mixture. 

Once potatoes are ready, plate up and sprinkle with parsley and plenty of salt and pepper. You may choose to serve this with a salad on the side.

Note: If you want to add something a little bit extra for flavour, sprinkle some grated cheese over the top of the potatoes before baking.