Rigatoni with Chicken in an Oven Roasted Tomato Tarragon Sauce

I don’t know exactly what it is about tarragon that conjures up images of spring. Maybe it’s that sweet, earthy smell that makes it seem like it I just pulled the herbs from the ground and not a plastic bag in my refrigerator. To commemorate the first day of spring in Chicago (where we hovered around a balmy 24 degrees) I decided to revamp a pasta dish with some fresh herbs, including tarragon. I figured, why not fake it ‘til we actually make it to some Spring weather?

Now I must go on a tomato sauce tangent. While I adore the tomatoes that my husband’s family makes from scratch and jars in the summer, sometimes I like using one particular kind of canned (gasp!) tomatoes when experimenting with new sauces. If you are going to go canned, I recommend these San Marzanos. They don’t say anything else on the label as far as a brand name goes. They are whole and peeled - nothing else. As a general rule of thumb, less processed equals better, fresher food. As much as I’d love to do all the processing myself; good tasting, fairly-priced, fresh tomatoes in March in Chicago is essentially a mythical fairytale wish from a genie in a lamp. I have found these tomatoes at Fresh Farms, Artizone and some Whole Foods locations.

Wow, you made it through a coffee-fueled tomato tangent. Congrats! Now to contradict myself a bit. I do use a handful of little, grape or cherry tomatoes in this recipe. For some reason, these tomatoes are plentiful all year round and actually have a real tomato flavor to them. 

Before you begin cooking, make sure you have a skillet that can go from the stove to the oven, preferably a sturdy, cast iron skillet. If you don’t already have one, it is a worthwhile investment. Go to HomeGoods or T.J. Maxx this weekend and I bet you will find some brand name skillets at discount prices. Many of them will even have pretty, candy-colored enamel outer coatings.

So to summarize; fresh tarragon plus good canned tomatoes and a skillet to get you that oven roasted flavor, equals a hearty family dinner that will give everyone a glimpse of Spring!

  

Ingredients
 

• 1 Handful Cherry Tomatoes - cut in half
• 1 28 oz. Can of San Marzano Whole Peeled Tomatoes
• Olive Oil for sautéing
• 1 Tbsp. Herbes de Provence
• 1 tsp. Sea Salt
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper
• 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 Large Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast
• 1 Shallot - minced
• 2 Tbsp. Dry White Wine or Red Wine Vinegar
• 2 Tbsp. Parsley - minced
• 1.5 Tbsp. Fresh Tarragon – minced
• 1 Bag Rigatoni

Directions

Preheat your oven to 450°. 

Combine the cherry and San Marzano tomatoes, 2 Tbsp. of olive oil, and the Herbes de Provence in a large, ovenproof skillet. Toss in a few grinds of both salt and pepper.  Toss everything together to coat. Turn the skillet on over a medium-high heat. Cook the tomato mixture for about five minutes, then transfer it into the oven. Allow the tomatoes to roast for about 20 minutes. Check half way through and carefully rotate any that appear to be blackening. Remove the tomatoes from the oven and place in a bowl. Toss in the Worcestershire sauce and set aside. 

 

Season the chicken all over with a bit of salt and pepper. Heat 1 Tbsp. of olive oil in your large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken breast on both sides, about 3-4 minutes per side. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake chicken until cooked through, about 8-10 minutes. Remove the chicken from the oven and place on a plate to rest for at least 5 minutes.

Add a 1 Tbsp. olive oil to the skillet and turn the heat to medium. Add the minced shallot and sauté to soften for 2 minutes. Deglaze pan with wine or vinegar. Cook liquid down for 2 more minutes. Add the shallots to the tomato mixture and puree with immersion blender or food processor until you reach your desired smoothness.  I leave a few large pieces of tomato for texture.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 1 Tbsp. of salt and cook your pasta according to the directions on the package.

Toss your tomato sauce with your drained pasta. Toss in your minced herbs.  Slice your chicken in ½ inch strips on the bias and divide it and the pasta among your bowls.  

Enjoy!