Rachel Roddy presents a recipe for chicken breasts in a sweet and sour lemon and tarragon sauce, drawing inspiration from Anna del Conte's adaptation of a 17th-century dish by Bartolomeo Stefani. Stefani, chef to Prince Ottavio Gonzaga of Mantua, authored the 1662 manual L'arte di Ben Cucinare and was known for moving away from heavily spiced medieval recipes toward lighter cooking with herbs, citrus, and flowers.
The Dish
The recipe involves poaching chicken breasts (originally capon) in wine and stock, then slicing them and serving with a sweet-and-sour sauce made from wine, sugar, vinegar, olive oil, and lemon. The dish is left to sit so the chicken absorbs the sauce's flavors and is served at room temperature—ideal for a hot day.
Roddy prefers using good red-wine vinegar instead of balsamic, and adds tarragon for its mossy scent and hint of lemon and aniseed. She emphasizes whisking the olive oil gradually into the other sauce ingredients to form an emulsion, similar to making a dressing or mayonnaise. Tasting and adjusting salt and vinegar is crucial.
Accompaniments and Serving
Before serving, spoon additional sauce over the chicken slices and garnish with more tarragon and lemon slices if desired. Recommended sides include boiled or braised courgettes, new potatoes, or a mix, along with soft bread for soaking up the sauce.
Recipe: Chicken with Sweet and Sour Lemon and Tarragon Sauce
Serves 4
- 4 large skinless chicken breasts
- 375ml white wine
- 300ml light vegetable stock
- 3 tbsp soft brown sugar
- Grated zest of 1 large unwaxed lemon, plus 2 tbsp juice
- 1 handful fresh tarragon leaves
- 3 tbsp balsamic or red-wine vinegar
- 75ml olive oil
- Salt and black pepper
Place chicken breasts in a pan in a single layer. Pour over 300ml wine and all stock. Bring to a lively simmer over low-medium heat and cook for 12 minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and let sit for three minutes. Lift out chicken, wrap in foil, and rest five minutes. (If not using immediately, return to cooled broth.)
In a small pan, warm sugar and remaining wine, stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat, add lemon zest, juice, and tarragon leaves. Let cool.
In a bowl, add vinegar and gradually whisk in olive oil to form an emulsion. Season with salt and pepper.
Slice chicken into 1cm-thick slices. Arrange on a plate, spoon over dressing, cover, and let rest at room temperature for at least half an hour (up to a few hours) before serving.
