Author: QuiltLady

CHICKEN WITH BAKED VEGETABLE STUFFING IN TARRAGON SAUCE**
4 large chicken breasts cut into tenders
4 + 2 tablespoons butter
2 large tomatoes
1 cup baby carrots, cut into halves
3 cups broccoli florets, cut into small pieces
1 large bunch green onions, sliced
1 sleeve Keebler townhouse crackers, crushed
1 teaspoon tarragon
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 cup whipping cream
2 tablespoons flour

• Melt 4 tablespoons butter in skillet.
• Brown each side of chicken piece.
• While the chicken is browning, wash the tomatoes and cut the tops off. Scoop the insides out*, salt the insides and turn the tomatoes upside down to drain.
• Transfer chicken pieces to baking dish, but leave enough room for the tomatoes in the center.
• Add the carrots and Brussel sprouts and saute’ until tender.
• Transfer them to the baking dishes scattered over the chicken pieces.
• Add the broccoli, tomato pulp and green onions to the skillet and saute’ until tender.
• Transfer to a mixing bowl and add crackers. Fill tomato cups. Add any remaining broccoli mixture to the chicken .
• Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in skillet.
• Add flour until golden.
• Add chicken broth, tarragon, salt, pepper and whipping cream.
• Bring to a boil while whisking constantly to prevent scorching.
• Add lemon juice after it boils.
• Immediately pour over the whole thing.
• Cover with foil.
• Bake for 1 hour at 325 degrees.

By using the larger tomatoes you can cut them in half after baking and have a nice presentation on the plate.

*I use a grapefruit knife and it works SUPER!
**I used Brussel Sprouts tonight, but in the future will use all broccoli.

• Make a paste with the flour, garlic and lemon juice.   
• Coat the chicken with the paste and leave for half an hour.
• Put a little olive oil in a sauce pan.   
• Scrape the paste off the chicken and keep for the next step.   I forgot to scrape off the paste, but it worked well as a coating and hubby enjoyed it so I guess you could do it either way.  Fortunately my pan wasn’t too hot that it burned and all worked out well.
• Add the chicken and the fennel seeds to the pan and fry the chicken on each side.  I also omitted the fennel seeds – thought I had some, but didn’t after all.
• If the paste is quite thick, thin it with a little water or stock then add it to the pan and stir with a wooden spoon. Since I messed up above, I did add a little stock (thought about using wine, but didn’t want to mess with her recipe since it smelled perfect).
• Then add the rest of the stock, sage, salt and pepper. 
• Bring to the boil then lower to a very gentle simmer for about 20 minutes.  
• Mix the egg yolk with a little lemon juice.    
• Remove the chicken from the pan.   
• Stir in the lemon juice.  Keep stirring as it thickens, but don’t let it boil.
• Serve the sauce over the chicken with rice or potatoes and vegetables.

SIMPLE CHICKEN & FEATHER DUMPLINGS
1 rotisserie chicken picked clean
chicken carcass with enough water to cover
1 medium Vidalia onion, chopped small
2 stalks celery, sliced
1 cup baby carrots, chopped
3 tablespoons Wondra flour
1 cup milk, room temperature
2 tablespoons butter

• Cover chicken carcass with water. Bring to a boil and reduce broth to 7 cups.
• Save 4 cups aside for making the dumplings.
• Pour 3 cups through sieve into a large saucepan. Set aside.
• Melt butter and saute’ vegetables.
• Whisk together milk and flour until smooth.
• Gradually whisk milk mixture into broth mixture until well blended.
• Add in sauteed vegetables and chicken pieces.
• Simmer until desired consistency.

DUMPLINGS
2 cups sifted cake flour
1 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1 egg, well beaten
3 tablespoons butter, melted
2/3 cup milk

• Sift together flour, salt, pepper and baking powder.
• Add egg, butter and enough milk to make a moist, stiff batter.
• Drop by teaspoonfuls into the boiling liquid.
• Cover and cook 15-20 minutes ~ Watch closely!
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