POLLO ALLA ROMANA

Serves 6

Tarragon Cream Sauce:

1 tbsp butter

2 tbsp finely chopped shallot

1 cup dry white wine

2 cups chicken broth

2 cups whipping cream

1 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon

salt and white pepper

Stuffed Chicken Breasts:

6 lg chicken breast halves, boned and flattened to even thickness (do not skin*)

salt and white pepper

2 medium carrots, cut into fine julienne

1 medium leek, trimmed and cut into fine julienne

4 cups chicken broth

6 tbsp butter, unsalted, cut into 3 pieces

For sauce:  Melt butter in heavy saucepan over medium heat.  Add shallot and stir until soft but not browned; about 3 minutes.  Add wine, increase heat to high and boil until reduced to glaze (about 2 tbsp).  Stir in broth and boil until reduced to 1/2 cup.  Add cream and tarragon and continue boiling until sauce is thickened to desired consistency.  Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

For chicken:  Place 1 flattened chicken breast half, skin down, on a piece of plastic wrap, leaving several inches of margin at each side.  Season with salt and pepper.  Arrange 1/6 of carrot and 1/6 of leek near one edge of chicken.  Using plastic as aid, roll chicken up tightly to enclose vegetables.  Twist ends of plastic tightly to secure.  Repeat with remaining chicken and vegetables.

Bring broth to simmer in large saucepan (liquid should be barely shaking). Add chicken breasts and poach until cooked through; about 16 minutes; do not overcook.

Remove chicken from broth using slotted spoon.  Discard plastic.  Cut each breast diagonally into 6-8 slices. Arrange on heated platter and keep warm.

Return sauce to boil, then remove from heat and whisk in butter one piece at a time.  Spoon sauce around chicken. Serve immediately.

* Can't understand why you would want to poach chicken with skin on it - yuck. Used skinless chicken, and in the rolling process, had a lot of vegetable, so the chicken basically was wrapped around the veggies in one layer, and didn't roll around in a spiral (was afraid the perhaps the inside rolled part of the chicken wouldn't cook if it did spiral).

REVIEW:  This was easy to make and quite delicious!