Grilled Chicken Tarragon with Tomato Sauce

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 1/2 pounds of chicken breast cutlets
• Salt
• Pepper
• 1 14-ounce can whole, peeled tomatoes
• 1/4 water
• 1 shallot, diced
• 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Make the tarragon-garlic oil first: in a medium bowl, stir together 2 Tbsp olive oil, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, and 1 Tbsp chopped fresh tarragon, or a teaspoon of dried tarragon.
2. Get the chicken ready: if the boneless, skinless chicken breasts are not cutlets yet, cut them horizontally in half, or set them between 2 pieces of plastic wrap and flatten them with a meat pounder until they are an even 1/2-inch thick.
3. Season the cutlets with salt and pepper, then add them to the bowl with the olive oil, garlic, and tarragon. Leave them at room temperature while you make the sauce and get the grill hot. Heat your grill for high, direct heat.
4. While the grill comes up to temperature, make the tomato tarragon sauce. Add the canned tomatoes to a food processor or blender and pulse until smooth.
5. Warm a tablespoon of olive oil in a medium sauté pan over medium heat. Once it is hot, stir in the minced shallots and garlic and cook just until aromatic, less than a minute.
6. Pour in the puréed tomatoes and water, then stir in the balsamic vinegar and 1 Tbsp chopped fresh tarragon, or a teaspoon of dry tarragon. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If the sauce tastes too sharp, a pinch of sugar can help round it out.
7. Bring the sauce to a simmer, then turn the heat down so it stays at a very gentle simmer while the chicken grills.
8. Grill the chicken cutlets until browned and cooked through, about 2 minutes per side, adjusting the timing a little depending on the thickness of the cutlets.
9. Serve the chicken with the tomato tarragon sauce.