Chicken with Bacon Tarragon

Preheat oven to 200C/fan 180C

Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Melt the butter in a large frying pan and add chicken breasts, skin side down.

Cook the skin side of the breasts until the skin is nice and crispy and golden brown. Turn over to seal the other side of the chicken breast (for about 2-3mins.) Once the chicken is sealed on all sides, transfer to a shallow roasting tin/dish and cover tightly with foil. Cook the chicken in the oven for 20-25 mins. Slice into each breast to check they are cooked through and then transfer to a warm plate and cover with foil to rest whilst you make the sauce.

For the sauce, dry fry the bacon or pancetta in a medium sized saucepan until crispy. Add the chicken stock and boil to reduce by half. Add the Creme Fraiche and the chopped tarragon and check for seasoning (you may only need pepper due to the saltiness of the bacon/pancetta, so check before adding any extra salt.) Add the lemon juice and stir through.

Slice the chicken breasts and arrange on a plate and drizzle the sauce over the meat, and any extra can be served in a jug on the table.

I served this on a bed of sliced Savoy cabbage, cooked with butter and sliced onions, and roasted new potatoes on the side.