Tarragon Chicken

Isn’t it just Murphy’s Law that the week before I am to go away on a highly anticipated vacation, a million little things go wrong.

I suppose I can be thankful that it’s nothing hugely catastrophic, but please bear with me as I vent.

A month ago, after searching locally for weeks with no inspiration, I ordered an incredibly cute skirt online via ASOS. So cute. I’m not even a big skirt person, but even I squeeeee’d with excitement about this one. It was due to arrive on June 22nd, giving me plenty of time to receive it before flying out on August 2nd. I would wear it to my friend’s wedding in Ireland. I built an entire outfit around it, buying a shirt and shoes to pair with it. The outfit would be that perfect combination of dress-it-up, dress-it-down magic, with a hint of Britishy swag (it’s a pleated midi skirt, I’m pretty much Kate Middleton, okay) (yes, I overly glorified this outfit).

June 22nd came and went and no skirt arrived in the mail. I even made sure it was set to be delivered to my office, to make 100% sure someone would be around to receive the parcel. I finally contacted customer service and got an automated reply. Waited a few more days. Googled “ASOS delivery delay” aaaaand… ugh, I should have googled that before I ordered. Apparently this is pretty typical with them.

I have my shirt, I have my shoes… and I have one more working day left for that damn skirt to arrive otherwise… otherwise, I am wearing a paper bag to the wedding (okay, I won’t do that, I’ll just wear some junky dress from the back of my closet but I’m feeling melodramatic right now).

So, that’s my outfit problem. Then, I went to get my hair highlighted. I’m a natural blonde but spending so much time inside (yay, work!) makes my hair mousey and muddy-looking. I wanted to look great for this trip! Brighten it up a little!

Yeahhhh… brighten it up a lot is what my stylist heard. To give you an indication, I went from Elizabeth Olson blonde to full-on-Khaleesi (or Draco Malfoy, either way, it’s a great nerdy reference and really, really bad hair).

It looked… bad. Really bad. A bunch of people at work tried to tell me they really liked it, but my work-wife gave me the straight goods: “Finn, I’m not going to lie, you need to get that fixed.”

I wholeheartedly agreed. My usual shy, Canadian approach was to google home-fixes so I wouldn’t have to tell my lovely stylist that I hated what she did to my head. It only took me a few searches before I came to the online consensus: don’t even try, go to a professional. UGH.

To be fair, my stylist was wonderful. She brought me in free-of-charge to tone it up a little darker. I mean… it’s still not quite as dark as I might like… but I definitely can’t go back a third time! Confrontation! The horror!

So, I have no wedding outfit and Malfoy hair, this whole endeavor was becoming a lot more Bridget Jones than Kate Middleton (and not just because I assuaged my frustrations with a bottle of wine).

Now, throw in a handful of minor work crises, frustrating workplace conflict, and a smattering of curious health problems (note: don’t google symptoms like I do, go to a doctor like an adult) (extra symptom added: severe anxiety due to possible hypochondria).

On top of all that, I had an unexpected emotional meltdown the other day when my wonderful in-laws offered to take my dog, Hannah, out of town this weekend. “What do you mean I have to be away from her for THREE MORE DAYS? I’M ALREADY GOING TO MISS HER SO MUCH FOR THE NEXT TWO WEEKS. How am I going to survive seventeen days without my furry soulmate?!?!?!?!” (objectively, this is a great offer. Hannah loves the lake and my in-laws and, in the grand scheme of things, I am a crazy person for getting so sad over three extra days without my dog.)

Top it all off with the fact that, in addition to tying up a bunch of loose ends at work, I am also working my butt off trying to get blog posts queued up for when I’m away (worth it!)…

I’m frazzled.

This recipe is good for those kinds of days. Actually, it’s good for just about any kind of day. Any season, really. I enjoy this chicken recipe just as much eaten outside mid-summer as I do snuggled up on a rainy day mid-winter.

3 small ingredients (if you don’t count the oil and seasoning, which- let’s face it- don’t really count as full ‘ingredients’). So simple, so perfect. Like a dinnertime meditation on deliciousness.

I will often use a whole chicken for this recipe and cut it into pieces myself, since when whole chickens go on sale they are much cheaper than the pre-cut legs and thighs (I am saving up for a holiday, after all 😉 ), but don’t feel like you have to. What I will recommend, if you don’t cut up your own whole chicken, is to get chicken thighs, legs or drumsticks. Skin-on is crucial. Chicken legs are more flavourful than white meat breasts, and the fat from the chicken skin, as you see in the pictures, renders down and creates wonderful crispy skin and a truly finger-licking gravy.

Don’t even talk to me about the leftovers. One more reason for making more than you need: leftover tarragon chicken sandwiches are utter heaven.

So, I guess my week hasn’t been all bad. If my skirt doesn’t arrive tomorrow, at least I know I will have a good lunch to wallow in.