Creamy Tarragon Chicken With Asparagus & Roast Potatoes

Preheat the oven to 220°C/ 200°C (fan)/ gas 7

Chop your potatoes (skins on) into bite-sized pieces

Top, tail, peel and chop your carrot[s] into batons

Add the chopped potatoes and carrot batons to a baking paper-lined baking tray with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper

Give everything a good mix up and put the tray in the oven for an initial 10 min

Tip: Cooking for 3 or more? Use 2 trays!

Heat a large, wide-based pan (preferably non-stick) over high heat

Pat your chicken thighs dry and season them generously on both sides with salt and pepper

Once hot, add the seasoned chicken thighs, skin-side down and cook for 10 min or until the skins have browned and crisped

Meanwhile, trim the woody ends off your asparagus

Tip: Alternatively, bend the woody ends of the asparagus until they snap!

Once the potatoes have had an initial 10 min, remove the tray[s] from the oven and push the potatoes to one side

Once the chicken has crisped, transfer the crispy chicken (skin side up) to the other side of the baking tray[s] (reserve the pan!)

Add the trimmed asparagus to the baking tray[s] with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt

Put the tray[s] in the oven for 12-15 min further or until the chicken is cooked through (no pink meat!)

Return the reserved pan to a medium-high heat heat (no need to wipe clean!)

Once hot, add 1 tsp [1 1/2 tsp] [2 tsp] flour with a pinch of salt and stir with a wooden spoon for 1-2 min or until a sandy paste forms – this is your roux

Gradually whisk the 100ml [150ml] [200ml] milk into the roux, a little at a time, and cook for 2-3 min or until a smooth and thickened

Once thickened, stir through your parsley & tarragon pesto – this is your creamy tarragon sauce