Chicken chasseur (with WHAT juice??)

TL;DR

V8 vegetable juice replaces canned tomatoes in this French hunter's chicken because its strained fibers create a smoother, more complex sauce.

Key Points

• 1.The secret ingredient is V8 juice (or equivalent tomato-vegetable juice), used because the strained fibers produce a glossy, smooth sauce finish with more flavor complexity than plain canned tomatoes.
• 2.Dry vermouth is used to deglaze instead of white wine — the fortified wine adds more concentrated flavor and sweetness, countering the dish's tendency toward blandness.
• 3.Chicken is floured before searing, which gives deep color and simultaneously thickens the braising sauce as it cooks.
• 4.A few cubes of homemade demi-glace (or concentrated stock) are added for richness — if using store-bought concentrate, skip extra salt since it runs very salty.
• 5.Tarragon is the key finishing herb (described as "floral liquorice"), along with butter to emulsify the sauce and a squeeze of lemon to brighten the final dish.