Parchment paper comes unbleached or bleached, and in various sizes of precut and cut-as-you-go rolls. I tend to prefer unbleached and cut-as-you-go, usually about 15 inches wide. If you don't bake that often, you can cut the roll to fit the dishes you have, or, as here, for the food you are cooking. If you find parchment too tricky to handle, use foil instead.

Serves 4

Ingredients
  • 2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 cup plus 2 tsp. dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio
  • Sea salt, to taste
  • 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 (three- to four-ounce) pieces thinly sliced chicken breast (escalopes)
  • 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 large Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed and thinly sliced
  • 1 Pink Lady, Braeburn or other tart-sweet apple, halved, cored and thinly sliced
  • 2 to 3 sprigs fresh tarragon, leaves stripped
  • 2 medium shallots, thinly sliced

    Directions

    Place a rimmed baking sheet in the top third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 425º. Cut 4 pieces of parchment paper 12 to 18 inches long, or big enough to comfortably hold the chicken and vegetables when folded. Fold each in half to make a rough square. Set aside.

    In a small bowl, stir together the mustard with the 2 teaspoons of white wine, a pinch of salt and the pepper. Rub the mixture into the chicken pieces, cover with plastic wrap and set aside in a cool place to marinate for 30 minutes.

    After the chicken has marinated, place a parchment square on a work surface. Drizzle 1 teaspoon of olive oil on the bottom half near the crease. Top with a single layer of slightly overlapped potato slices about the same size as the piece of chicken. Sprinkle with a little salt. Add a layer of apple slices, some tarragon leaves and some shallots. Top with chicken and marinade. Add another layer of shallots and 3 to 4 slices of potato on top of the chicken. Sprinkle with a little more olive oil, salt and a grind or 2 of black pepper.

    Fold the top of the paper over the chicken and veggies. Starting at the right-hand corner, tightly fold the edges of the paper together to seal the bag. When you get to the left-hand side, leave the corner open. Pour in 2 tablespoons white wine and finish the seal. Set aside. Repeat with the remaining parchment, vegetables and chicken.

    Place the bags on the hot baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let the bags rest for 5 to 10 minutes before opening. Serve with all the juices from the bags.

    From Cook for Your Life by Ann Ogden Gaffney. Reprinted by arrangement with Avery Books, a member of Penguin Group (USA) LLC, A Penguin Random House Company. Copyright © Ann Ogden Gaffney, 2015.
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