How gorgeous is this tarragon and mustard chicken with cherry tomatoes! This chicken is amazing any time of the year!
It’s so easy to make too! Mustard, tomatoes, and tarragon are a trifecta of flavor, all three working together for this amazing chicken dish. Tarragon is quite delicate and a portion is reserved for sprinkling onto the baked chicken to really amplify the plate.
A combination of toasted coconut flakes and crushed plantain chips is my perfect “Paleo breading.” Both are in a balanced communication and none overpowers the other. The chips contain a good amount of cooking fat (look for palm oil), which is perfect for getting that fried taste without actually dealing with a fryer. Coconut flakes are also a bit more absorbent than plantain chips, so adding them to the plantain mixture helps distribute the oils and gives a nice uniform crisp.
Roasted cherry tomatoes with garlic is the finishing touch. Burst a cherry tomato on top of that crispy chicken and let its juices fuse with the perfume of the tarragon! Want something to knock your socks off? Blend some mayonnaise, mustard, and the juice of a popped cherry tomato or two into a sauce and drizzle it all over that chicken breast. Then dash the tarragon leaves on it.
INGREDIENTS
¾ cup of Unsweetened Shredded Coconut Flakes
¾ cup of Crushed Plantain Chips
2½ Tablespoons of Dijon Mustard
1 Small Shallot, minced
2 Tablespoons of Paleo Mayonnaise
½ teaspoon of Salt
3 Tablespoons of Fresh Tarragon Leaves
1½ lb of Chicken Breasts (about 4 pieces)
For the Tomatoes
2 Garlic Cloves
1 lb of Cherry Tomatoes
2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil
For the Extra Sauce
¼ cup of Mayonnaise
1 Tablespoon of Dijon Mustard
Juice of 2 Roasted Tomatoes
Extra Tarragon Pieces for Garnish
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 400F
Heat a skillet to medium high and add the coconut flakes. Stir often until the flakes are golden brown.
Combine the toasted coconut flakes with the crushed plantain chips and set aside.
Combine the mustard, shallot, mayonnaise, and salt in another bowl to make the sauce mixture. Tear about 1 Tablespoon worth of tarragon leaves in half and add them to the sauce mixture.
Dip the chicken in the sauce mixture until fully coated. Then dip into the plantain and coconut bowl to fully coat.
Repeat for the rest of the chicken pieces and add them to a roasting pan.
Bake at 400F for 25-30 minutes.
Tear the rest of the tarragon leaves in halves or thirds and sprinkled on top of the chicken.
For the Tomatoes
Combine the garlic, tomatoes, and olive oil, and optionally a little extra salt.
Place in a smaller roasting pan and add them to the oven after the chicken has baked for 15 minutes. (Baking time for the tomatoes are at 400F for about 15-20 minutes).
For the Extra Sauce
Combine the sauce ingredients together and drizzle over the breast. Makes a great salad dressing too!
The best way to prepare plantain chips for a “breading” is with a simple rolling pin. Smash as much as you can in a plastic bag then roll over it with the pin. You can prepare the toasted coconut flakes and crushed plantain chips ahead of time. It will keep for months in the pantry.