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Potted Chicken with Tarragon, Garlic & Lemon

Although you can use fresh cooked chicken, Potted Chicken is a great way to use leftovers from a roasted bird.

Transform it into a delicious spread for crusty bread, toast, or crackers by simply whizzing or stirring with a few seasonings, chill, then top with clarified butter.

Fresh tarragon, garlic, and lemon pair well with chicken, or swap in your own favourites like chives, thyme, or parsley.

Course Appetizer, Starter, Lunch, Light Meal
Cuisine British, European
Keyword preserves, leftovers, potted meat
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 4 - 6
Author Moorlands Eater

Ingredients

  • 250 g cooked boneless, skinless chicken e.g. 1 breast plus carcass pickings from a roasted chicken
  • 125 g butter
  • 1 medium clove garlic finely grated
  • 1 lemon, zest only finely grated
  • salt and black pepper to taste
  • 1 tbsp chopped tarragon

Optional: clarified butter topping

  • 75 g butter if using lots of small pots, you may need a little more
  • chopped tarragon
  • black pepper

Instructions

  1. Roughly chop or tear the chicken and put in a food processor. Whizz very briefly to start to break it down a little.

    Note: if you don't have a food processor, chop the chicken finely then mix in the other ingredients by hand.

    Put the butter in a small saucepan along with the grated garlic and lemon zest. Gently heat until the butter melts.

    Pour the butter and seasonings into the food processor. Add a pinch of salt and ΒΌ tsp of black pepper.

    Switch on the processor and blend, scraping down the sides as necessary, until your preferred smoothness is reached.

    Scrape into a bowl and stir in the chopped tarragon.

    Taste and add more seasoning if necessary.

  2. Divide the potted chicken between the required number of small jars, pots, ramekins, or a small 450 ml/1lb loaf tin.

    - If you're going to add the clarified butter topping, don't fill right to the rim.

    - If you want to be able to turn out the potted chicken, line the pots/tin etc. with cling film.

    Can be eaten straight away, but is better left for the flavours to meld. If adding the butter topping then you must chill in the fridge for a minimum of 30 minutes.

Clarified butter topping

  1. Gently melt the butter in a small saucepan.

    Take off the heat and wait a few minutes for the white milk solids to fall to the bottom. Pour the top, golden layer into a small jug or similar, discard the white solids.

    Pour a layer of clarified butter over the chilled potted chicken. Sprinkle with a little chopped tarragon and black pepper.

    Return to the fridge to set the topping.

Serving and storing

  1. Depending on room temperature, remove the Potted Chicken from the fridge 20 - 30 minutes before serving spread on bread, toast, or crackers.

    Should keep for 2 - 3 days in the fridge or can be frozen.