We’ve updated the recipe since we first posted it in 2007, the original recipe used fresh tomatoes, and just puréed them without cooking them. I prefer the taste of cooked tomatoes for a sauce like this, and since the sauce cooks up so quickly, it’s easy enough to make while the grill is heating. If you don’t have a grill, you can easily cook the chicken cutlets in a little olive oil on medium high heat on the stovetop. Tarragon takes the stage with this recipe, but if you don’t have it, or don’t like it, my father suggests substituting it with basil. Sprinkle the cutlets with salt and pepper. Add them to the olive oil, garlic, tarragon mixture. Let sit at room temperature while you prepare the sauce and heat the grill. In a medium sauté pan, heat a tablespoon of olive oil on medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the minced shallots and garlic and cook until just fragrant, less than a minute. Add the puréed tomatoes and water to the shallots and garlic. Add the balsamic vinegar and 1 Tbsp of chopped fresh tarragon (or a teaspoon of dry tarragon). Add salt and pepper to taste. (If the sauce seems too acidic, you can add a pinch of sugar to balance the acidity.) Bring to a simmer and lower the heat to maintain a very low simmer while you grill the chicken. Serve with tomato tarragon sauce.
