Recipe updated July 2015
“Mirepoix” is the French term for a chopped vegetable
medley—carrots, celery, and onion—used as a base for sauces, braising liquids,
stews, and other dishes. Fresh herbs such as basil, tarragon, or rosemary are sometimes
added.
For this recipe, I wanted to play up the mirepoix as more
than the sauce starter, essentially turning the vegetables into a side dish for
the chicken, along with a rich, creamy sauce to highlight the entire dish. I
cut the vegetables larger than typical for mirepoix and used cornstarch to
thicken the sauce, resulting in a simple, one-pan meal full of warm, savory
flavor—and it's very easy to prepare.
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 1-1/2 lbs total)
- flour, for dredging
- sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1-1/2 cups coarsely chopped peeled carrots
- 1-1/2 cups coarsely chopped celery
- 1 cup chopped white onion
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- chopped fresh tarragon, for garnish
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| Mirepoix Ingredients |
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to its lowest temperature (to keep the
chicken warm).
- Heat a large, heavy skillet over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Dredge the chicken breasts in flour, shaking off excess. Season with salt and
pepper and cook until golden brown on the bottom, 8-10 minutes, depending on thickness.
- Turn and cook until the chicken is golden brown on the other side and just cooked through, 7-8 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate and keep warm in the oven.
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| Chicken Beginning to Cook |
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| Cooked Chicken |
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan and add the carrots, celery, and
onion. Cook, stirring frequently and scraping up brown bits, 2 minutes.
- Add the wine, cover the pan, and cook until the vegetables
are crisp-tender, 12-13 minutes.
- Combine the chicken broth and cornstarch in a bowl, stirring well to dissolve the cornstarch. Stir the mixture into the pan and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook until the sauce is slightly thickened and the vegetables are tender, 3-4 minutes.
- Return the chicken and accumulated juices to the pan, turning a few times to coat. Sprinkle with tarragon.
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| Vegetables Beginning to Cook |
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| Wine Added |
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| Broth Mixture Added |
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| Cooked Sauce |
Divide the chicken and sauce among 4
plates and serve right away.
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| Pan Chicken with White Wine Sauce Mirepoix |
