Comforting and homey sums up this warming bistro-style chicken dinner.  Fresh ripe tomatoes and tarragon form the essence of the sauce.  Perfect as an entertaining entrée, it can be made ahead and actually benefits from an overnight's refrigeration.  Just add the celery and remaining wine while reheating.  Serve with small new potatoes or buttered broad noodles tossed with snipped chives and a good red wine.  A spinach salad with a Dijon vinaigrette and fresh fruit and cheese will beautifully complete the menu.

Cooking Time: 60 to 75 minutes

Preparation Time:

Servings: 4-6

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Ingredients

  • 9 medium-size Ontario Field Tomatoes, about 3 lb (1.5 kg)
  • 3 tbsp (50 mL) olive oil
  • 1 chicken (4 lb/2 kg), cut into serving-size pieces
  • 4 medium-size Ontario Onions, about 1.5 lb (750 g)
  • 6 large cloves Ontario Garlic
  • 1-1/4 cups (300 mL) Ontario red wine
  • 1/3 cup (75 mL) tomato paste
  • 1 tbsp (15 mL) brown sugar
  • 2 tsp (10 mL) dried tarragon
  • 3/4 tsp (4 mL) each dried leaf thyme and salt
  • 1/4 tsp (1 mL) each cayenne and white or black pepper
  • 3 stalks Ontario Celery, (including leaves if desired), finely chopped

Instructions

Core tomatoes; cut shallow "X" on bottoms.  Plunge into pot of boiling water for a minute or two.  Drain and cool in cold water.  Peel and set aside.

In very wide deep saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat; cook chicken, in batches, until golden brown, about 5 minutes per side.  Remove and set aside.

Meanwhile, peel onions and cut into eights.  Peel and coarsely chop garlic, to make about 1/4 cup (50 mL).  Add onions to pan; cook over low heat, stirring, for about 1 minute, scraping up any brown bits from bottom of pan.  Stir in garlic; cook, stirring, for 1 minute.  Add 1 cup (250 mL) of the wine and increase heat to medium; boil gently stirring often, until reduced by half.

Meanwhile, coarsely chop tomatoes; add to pan along with tomato paste, sugar, tarragon, thyme, salt, cayenne and pepper.  Add chicken, submerging in sauce.  Cover tightly and reduce heat to low; simmer, stirring occasionally, for 35 minutes.  Add celery; cook for 10 minutes or until chicken is tender and no longer pink and celery is still crunchy.  Taste and stir in remaining 1/4 cup (50 mL) wine, if desired.

Nutritional information

  • 35.0 g protein
  • 17.0 g fat
  • 19.5 g carbohydrates
  • 371 calories