Creamy Tarragon Chicken

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David found this creamy tarragon chicken recipe on Eat, Little Bird.   We have 3 new tarragon plants in our veg patch and decided we wanted to use some of it in a chicken dish.

The first time we made it, my mum and step dad were round for dinner...and they loved it.   So did we!!

The end result is beautifully tender chicken that's golden on the outside, served with a sauce that is creamy with a lovely tarragon flavour, that isn't too overpowering.   We could eat a whole batch of the sauce to ourselves!!

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How to make this Creamy Tarragon Chicken

Ingredients

• 1 to 2 tbsp olive oil, plus more if needed
• 4 chicken breasts (weighing approx. 150g to 200g each)
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 shallots or 1 small red onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 160ml dry white wine
• 125ml chicken stock
• 125ml double cream (I use Elmlea to reduce the calories!)
• 1 tbsp fresh tarragon, finely chopped (see Tips)
• 1 tbsp cornflour mixed with 1 tbsp water
• a small handful of fresh parsley or more tarragon, finely chopped, to garnish

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet, saucepan or casserole over a high heat. Season the chicken breasts generously with salt and pepper.  Place the chicken breasts in the pan and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, or until they are golden and caramelised, before turning them over and cooking them for another 3 to 5 minutes. The best way to achieve a nice colour on the chicken is to not move the chicken too often.
2. Once the chicken breasts are golden and caramelised on both sides, remove them to a plate. The chicken does not need to be fully cooked through at this stage.
3. Add a bit more oil to the pan as needed, then add the shallots (or onions) and garlic. Cook on a medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes until they have softened.
4. Pour the white wine into the pan and let it simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until it has reduced slightly. Use a wooden spoon to stir the mixture and to lift any caramelised bits from the pan.
5. Pour in the chicken stock and cream, together with the fresh tarragon. Let the sauce simmer gently for 4 to 5 minutes.
6. Taste to check the seasoning and add more salt and pepper, as needed.
7. Slowly pour in the cornflour slurry, stirring the sauce as you do. You may not need all of the cornflour and water mixture – use as much as you need until the sauce has thickened slightly.
8. Return the chicken to the pan, turn the heat down to medium low, and cover with a lid. Cook gently for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the chicken pieces have cooked through (I use a Thermapen to check they’re cooked to 74C).
9. Garnish with parsley or more tarragon before serving. It’s delicious with roast potatoes or mashed potatoes, plus your favourite veg.   It’s also delicious with pasta (see Tips).

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Creamy Tarragon Chicken

Beautifully tender chicken that's golden on the outside, served with a creamy sauce with a lovely tarragon flavour.

PREP: 10 minutes minutes

COOK: 30 minutes minutes

TOTAL: 40 minutes minutes

Course: Main

Cuisine: French

Servings: 4 people

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Equipment

• Cast iron skillet

Ingredients

• 1 to 2 tbsp olive oil plus more if needed
• 4 chicken breasts (weighing approx. 150g to 200g each)
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 shallots or 1 small red onion finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
• 160 ml (¾ cup) dry white wine
• 125 ml (½ cup) chicken stock
• 125 ml (½ cup) double cream (I use Elmlea to reduce the calories!)
• 1 tbsp fresh tarragon finely chopped (see Notes)
• 1 tbsp cornflour mixed with 1 tbsp water
• a small handful of fresh parsley or more tarragon finely chopped, to garnish

Instructions

• Heat the oil in a large skillet, saucepan or casserole over a high heat. Season the chicken breasts generously with salt and pepper.  Place the chicken breasts in the pan and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, or until they are golden and caramelised, before turning them over and cooking them for another 3 to 5 minutes. The best way to achieve a nice colour on the chicken is to not move the chicken too often.
• Once the chicken breasts are golden and caramelised on both sides, remove them to a plate. The chicken does not need to be fully cooked through at this stage.
• Add a bit more oil to the pan as needed, then add the shallots (or onions) and garlic. Cook on a medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes until they have softened.
• Pour the white wine into the pan and let it simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until it has reduced slightly. Use a wooden spoon to stir the mixture and to lift any caramelised bits from the pan.
• Pour in the chicken stock and cream, together with the fresh tarragon. Let the sauce simmer gently for 4 to 5 minutes.
• Taste to check the seasoning and add more salt and pepper, as needed.
• Slowly pour in the cornflour slurry, stirring the sauce as you do. You may not need all of the cornflour and water mixture – use as much as you need until the sauce has thickened slightly.
• Return the chicken to the pan, turn the heat down to medium low, and cover with a lid. Cook gently for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the chicken pieces have cooked through (I use a Thermapen to check they’re cooked to 74C).
• Garnish with parsley or more tarragon before serving. It’s delicious with roast potatoes or mashed potatoes, plus your favourite veg.   It’s also delicious with pasta (see Notes).

Notes

• If you can’t get fresh tarragon, use 1 tsp of dried tarragon instead.
• Enjoy leftovers with pasta of your choice – I like tagliatelle.   Cut or shred the chicken into bite size chunks and reheat gently on the hob.
• This creamy tarragon chicken recipe is easily adapted if you’re cooking for less or more people - the photos are three quarters of the recipe.   We enjoyed 2 for dinner one night and there was a lunch portion with pasta for the next day!

 

You might also like to try:

• chicken and turkey dishes

Nutrition

Calories: 378kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 132mg | Sodium: 243mg | Potassium: 753mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 666IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 62mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

KEYWORDS chicken breasts, double cream, Elmlea, pasta

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