| 1 | To prepare chicken breasts, place between sheets of waxed paper. |
| 2 | Gently pound with a mallet until flat and tender. |
| 3 | Sprinkle each with salt, pepper and lemon juice. |
| 4 | Keep covered in refrigerator. |
| 5 | To make stuffing, combine ham, garlic, ginger, half the tarragon and about 2/3 of the lemon zest in a bowl, blending well. |
| 6 | Add a dash of lemon juice or wine to moisten. |
| 7 | To stuff breasts, place equal amounts of filling on center of each. |
| 8 | Bring sides up to encase filling, shaping with your hands into a round package and tucking in ends to seal. |
| 9 | Greasy the shiny side of six, foot-long strips of foil, about 2 inches wide. |
| 10 | Encircle each breast with foil, greased side in, pulling tightly so that foil wraps around breast. |
| 11 | (this retains shape during baking). |
| 12 | Fold over edge on top to secure foil. |
| 13 | Brush tops of chicken with butter. |
| 14 | Sprinkle with salt, pepper and a little tarragon. |
| 15 | Can be refrigerated, covered at this point, if baking is to be done several hours later. |
| 16 | Preheat oven to 400°F. |
| 17 | Place the vegetable mirepoix in bottom of a large baking dish. |
| 18 | Place chicken breasts on top of vegetables. |
| 19 | Pour enough wine around bottom of pan just to cover mirepoix. |
| 20 | Bake 10 to 12 minutes, then turn heat down to 350 degrees. |
| 21 | Baste chicken. |
| 22 | Cover pan loosely with foil and bake another 15 minutes or until chicken breasts are done but still moist inside. |
| 23 | Remove foil covering from pan; turn broiler on to brown chicken tops, about 2 minutes. |
| 24 | Remove pan from oven. |
| 25 | Place chicken on heated platter and keep warm; carefully remove foil strips. |
| 26 | Meanwhile, remove and discard mirepoix vegetables from roasting pan. |
| 27 | Place pan on top of stove. |
| 28 | Remove any surface fat and bring to a boil. |
| 29 | Add chicken stock and cream and reduce over high heat, stirring until of desired consistency. |
| 30 | Taste and adjust seasonings. |
| 31 | To serve, garnish chicken breasts with remaining lemon zest and tarragon. |
| 32 | Place a little sauce on a heated plate, then place chicken breast on top. |
| 33 | Good served with rice-stuffed tomatoes. |
| 34 | Serves 4 to 6, depending upon size of chicken breasts. |
| 35 | Note: mirepoix means aromatic vegetables (carrot, celery and onion) chopped and placed in the bottom of a roasting pan). |
| 36 | Most of this dish can be prepared in advance |
