American Vinegar Works Poulet au Vinaigre (Vinegar Chicken)

Directions

1. Turn oven to 350.

2. Salt and black pepper chicken thighs generously. Allow them to stand for about 10 minutes so that the salt penetrates the chicken.

3. Add about 3 tablespoons of olive oil to an oven safe pan or enamel cast-iron that has a lid. Over medium high heat pan fry chicken thighs until very lightly browning on both sides. Remove cooked chicken from pan and set aside.

4. Add butter to pan. Once melted added a whole bay leaf and sliced shallots. Stir until shallots begin to get translucent. Add tomato paste and mix in well but try not to break the bay leaf. Add vinegar and deglaze pan thoroughly scraping up all the attached bits and allowing vinegar to evaporate for 2 minutes. Add white wine and combine well.

5. Return chicken and any liquid it has released while resting to the pan. Flip chicken in the pan so that both sides have been exposed to the sauce. Place covered pan in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes depending on thigh size.

6. Remove pan from the oven. Remove chicken from the pan and place chicken in a covered plate to stay warm. Remove and discard bay leaf.

7. Add mustard to the pan sauce and blend well. Add cream to the pan and reduce it on low heat to about half the volume. Allow the cream to reduce slowly so as not to split the sauce. Be extra careful with the pan handle—it is easy to forget you had it in the oven.

8. Once cream has reduced by about half, shut off the stove top and add the minced tarragon and chopped tomatoes to the sauce. You may also want to grind a little more black pepper and adjust salt.

9. Plate the chicken and generously spoon the sauce over the chicken. Top with more chopped tarragon and serve.