Braising green beans is a great way to help them retain their nutrients and get the most out of their fresh, hearty flavour. This tarragon chicken with braised green beans is a great example of how delicious this can be – with juicy chicken and tender vegetables, it’s a healthy, filling meal that’s simple enough to be a midweek dinner, but impressive enough to serve to guests.
Ingredients
- 50g butter
- 1tbsp fresh chopped tarragon leaves
- 2tsp finely grated lemon zest
- 2 x 250-275g chicken breasts, skin on with part wing bone
- 150g round green beans, tailed
- 4 sprigs of lemon thyme
- 200ml hot chicken stock
Method
Set the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6. Put a small roasting tin in the oven to heat up. Soften the butter in a small bowl, then mix in the tarragon, lemon zest and seasoning. Ease your fingers under the skin of the chicken and push the flavoured butter underneath. Season the skin.
Heat a non-stick frying pan over a high heat. Put the chicken in the pan, skin-side down, and cook for 4 mins. Turn it over and cook for another 3-4 mins.
Put the beans and thyme into the warm roasting tin and pour in the stock. Place the chicken breasts on top, skin-side up and pour over the buttery juices. Bake for about 15 mins until the chicken is cooked through and the beans are tender.
To serve, arrange the beans in 2 hot, shallow bowls with the chicken on top. Pour some of the hot stock into the bowls.
Top tip for making Tarragon chicken with braised green beans
Green bean season runs from May to September, so keep your eyes peeled for special offers in the supermarket during these times.
