POACHED CHICKEN WITH GRAINY MUSTARD SAUCE

Poached Chicken with Grainy Mustard Sauce image

Provided by Martha Stewart

Number Of Ingredients 14

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4 skinless chicken breast halves, bone in
2 carrots, scrubbed
2 small onions, peeled and cut in half
2 celery stalks, cut into 3-inch pieces
1 dried bay leaf
10 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
3/4 cup dried apricots
2 cups fresh pineapple, in 1-inch cubes
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon
1 teaspoon grainy mustard
1/4 pound baby lettuce, such as mache

Steps:

Place chicken, carrots, onions, celery, bay leaf, parsley, wine, and peppercorns in a stockpot. Add water to cover (about 3 quarts); bring to a boil. Reduce heat so liquid is at a bare simmer. Poach, adjusting heat to maintain bare simmer and skimming any scum off the top, until chicken is cooked, 20 to 25 minutes.
Remove chicken from stock; use a sharp knife to remove meat from bones. Place meat in a dish; add stock to just cover. Return bones to pot; simmer until very flavorful, about 1 hour. Pass stock through a cheesecloth-lined strainer; discard solids.
In a clean saucepan, return stock to a boil. Reduce heat so stock is at a bare simmer. Add apricots and pineapple, and poach until tender, about 10 minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove fruit; season fruit with 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon tarragon.
Raise heat to high; cook stock until reduced to 1/3 cup, 45 minutes. Reduce heat to low; whisk in mustard, 1/4 teaspoon each salt and tarragon, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper.
Divide lettuce among four plates. Slice chicken; place on greens. Pour mustard sauce over chicken, and serve with reserved apricot-and-pineapple mixture.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 318 g