Romertopf Clay-Baked Chicken with Fromage Blanc, Tarragon, and Tomatoes

Generations of Provençal cooks have employed the combination of cheese, tarragon, and tomatoes to flavor chicken. The trick is to choose a type of moist cheese that will generate sufficient steam from the cavity to drive the tarragon and tomato flavors into the meat. I generally use a French-style skim-milk cheese called fromage blanc, which is moist, flavorful, and low in fat. You can substitute well-drained thickened yogurt, low-fat ricotta, or good-quality cream cheese.