Poached chicken with lemon & tarragon sauce

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1. Put the wine, vegetables, herb sprigs, bay leaves, bacon, peppercorns and stock powder or cubes in a large pan. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 10 mins.
2. Remove any excess fat from the chicken and push it into the liquor.
3. Return the liquor to the boil, then turn heat down. Cover and cook for 11⁄4 hrs until chicken legs feel tender when pierced. Remove from heat, stand for 15 mins, then lift onto a plate. Strain the liquor into a bowl and pour 500ml into a pan. Boil to reduce by half.
4. Pull and cut the bird into neat portions, discarding skin, wing tips and backbone. Put on a plate and cover.
5. Beat together the yolks, cream and tarragon in a jug. Ladle in a quarter of the liquor, mix, then pour back into the stock and turn the heat down. Mix the cornflour with a little water and add. With a wooden spoon, stir for 3-5 mins until it begins to thicken.6 Remove from the heat, then stir in lemon juice to taste. Pour some sauce over the chicken and put the rest in a jug. Serve with boiled long grain rice.

Per serving

689 kcalories, protein 62g, carbohydrate 3g, fat 42 g, saturated fat 19g, fibre 0g, salt 1.35 g

Latest comments and suggestions

• Polly's Cook

  15 June 2008

  Polly's Cook commented on this recipe

  I am confused by the liquid measures in this recipe. You start off with 300ml of wine and after cooking you have to drain off the liquor and put 500ml in a pan for reducing. Surely the extra 200ml of liquid does not come from the ingredients which are few in number. Regards Pollycook

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• kirstyloughran

  19 June 2008

  kirstyloughran commented on this recipe

  Yes I was confused by this at first too, the recipe does not mention the liquid you use to make up the stock cubes with. I made up the stock with the amount of liquid specified on the packet, enough to cover the chicken,and got very good results. In fact I have made this three times.

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• Maz_in_Spain

  26 June 2008

  Maz_in_Spain commented on this recipe

  Would really like to make this but am apprehensive about using the egg yolks and the sauce curdling from over heating - as it has cornflour in it, am I worrying unecessarily ? Also, does the fat from the skin just incorporate into the sauce ?

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• kirstyloughran

  13 July 2008

  kirstyloughran rated and commented on this recipe

  

  The sauce is really easy to make and not fatty at all I recommend you try this recipe it is a stunning dish very impressive without too much effort, and you can always skim off any excess fat from the liquor before you add the cream tarragon and egg yolks.

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• chocolatemonkeybear

  29 December 2008

  chocolatemonkeybear rated and commented on this recipe

  

  Really easy and with extra black pepper it is delicious

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• Emmpty

  24 August 2009

  Emmpty rated and commented on this recipe

  

  One of my favourite chicken recipes and easier to do than anticipated. The flavours are great and the sauce really creamy. I've made this several times now and it's always been a success.

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Ingredients

• 300ml dry white wine
• 1 small fennel , sliced or 2 sticks celery, sliced
• 1 large carrot , cut in sticks
• 2 sprigs each thyme , rosemary and tarragon
• 2 large bay leaves
• about 100g/4oz smoked bacon pieces or rinds
• ½ tsp whole black peppercorns
• 1 tbsp bouillon powder or 2 stock cubes
• 1 whole chicken , about 2kg/4lb 8 oz
• 1 onion , quartered

FOR THE SAUCE

• 2 egg yolks
• 142ml pot double cream
• handful fresh tarragon , chopped
• 1 tsp cornflour
• juice of 1 lemon

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Difficulty and servings

Serves 4

Preparation and cooking times

Prep 30 mins

Ingredients

• 300ml dry white wine
• 1 small fennel , sliced or 2 sticks celery, sliced
• 1 large carrot , cut in sticks
• 2 sprigs each thyme , rosemary and tarragon
• 2 large bay leaves
• about 100g/4oz smoked bacon pieces or rinds
• ½ tsp whole black peppercorns
• 1 tbsp bouillon powder or 2 stock cubes
• 1 whole chicken , about 2kg/4lb 8 oz
• 1 onion , quartered

FOR THE SAUCE

• 2 egg yolks
• 142ml pot double cream
• handful fresh tarragon , chopped
• 1 tsp cornflour
• juice of 1 lemon

Per serving

689 kcalories, protein 62g, carbohydrate 3g, fat 42 g, saturated fat 19g, fibre 0g, salt 1.35 g

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