Name: Chicken Veronique
Total time: 45 min
Yield: Serves 4
Cuisine: French, Europe
Ingredients: 4 (6-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed; Salt and pepper; 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon low-sodium chicken broth; 1 teaspoon cornstarch; 2 tablespoons unsalted butter; 1 shallot, minced; 3/4 cup dry white wine; 1/3 cup heavy cream; 4 1/2 ounces seedless green grapes, halved lengthwise (3/4 cup); 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon; 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

Why This Recipe Works

Chicken, grapes, and tarragon may sound like a dubious combination, but we were determined to make a tasty version of chicken veronique, a classic French dish. We pound chicken breasts to an even thinness and sauté them in butter to develop flavorful fond. Then we build a simple, subtly flavored sauce with shallots, cream, and wine and thicken it to a silky consistency with a cornstarch slurry. Halved green grapes, tarragon, and lemon juice are added right at the end for a complex, elegant, yet no-fuss dish.

Before You Begin

Chicken breasts larger than 6 ounces will require longer cooking in step 2.

Instructions

Place chicken between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and pound to ½-inch thickness. Season with salt and pepper. Whisk 1 tablespoon broth and cornstarch together in small bowl to make slurry; set aside. Melt butter in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and cook until very lightly browned, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to plate.

Add shallot to now-empty skillet and cook until softened, about 1 minute. Add wine and cook until reduced to ½ cup, about 3 minutes. Add remaining ¾ cup broth, chicken, and any accumulated juice; reduce heat to medium-low; cover; and simmer until chicken registers 160 degrees, 5 to 7 minutes.

Transfer chicken to serving platter and tent loosely with aluminum foil. Increase heat to medium-high, add cream and cornstarch slurry to skillet, and cook until reduced to ¾ cup, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir grapes, tarragon, lemon juice, and any accumulated juice from chicken into sauce until heated through, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour sauce over chicken. Serve.