Ingredients

The following ingredients have 4 Servings
  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, each about 6 oz.  
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt, plus more, to taste 
  • 1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper, plus more, to taste 
  • 4 Tbs. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature 
  • 2 tsp. Dijon mustard 
  • 2 tsp. minced fresh tarragon 
  • 1 tsp. minced shallot 
  • 4 new potatoes, cut into 1/4-inch rounds 
  • 3/4 lb. English peas in their pods, shelled 
  • 4 Tbs. dry white wine 

Instruction

  • Using a flat meat pounder, pound each chicken breast half until flattened to an even thickness of about 1/2 inch. Season the chicken breasts with the 1 tsp. salt and the 1/2 tsp. pepper.
  • In a small bowl, stir together the butter, mustard, tarragon and shallot. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Preheat an oven to 400°F.
  • Bring a saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the potatoes and cook for 2 minutes. Add the peas and cook for 2 minutes more, then drain the vegetables well.
  • Cut four 12-by-15-inch rectangles of parchment paper. Lay 1 piece, with a long side facing you, on a work surface. Fold it in half crosswise. Crease about 1 inch on the three open sides of the fold. Using scissors, and cutting on the diagonal, trim off about 2 inches from the two open corners.
  • Unfold the parchment and center a chicken breast half on one side of the center fold. Layer the ingredients on top of the chicken: one-fourth of the butter mixture, one-fourth of the potato slices, one-fourth of the peas and 1 Tbs. of the wine. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
  • Fold the paper back over the chicken, matching the edges. Starting at one end of the fold, fold the edges toward the chicken, making a series of small, tight folds to create a curved border around the chicken. Twist the end of the packet to create a tight seal. Transfer the packet to a rimmed baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining ingredients and parchment rectangles.
  • Bake until the paper packets puff up, about 20 minutes. To test for doneness, press the chicken with a fingertip through the paper. It should feel firm and spring back.
  • Transfer the packets to warmed dinner plates and serve immediately. Let each guest snip open his or her packet at the table, then slide the contents onto the plate. Pass a bowl for discarding the paper. Serves 4.
  • Adapted from Williams-Sonoma <i>New Flavors for Chicken</i>, by Rick Rodgers (Oxmoor House, 2008).