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4.88 stars (41 reviews)

Creamy Tarragon Chicken

Thanh | Eat, Little Bird
Prep10 minutes
Cook20 minutes
Total30 minutes
Serves: 4
Make this classic Creamy Tarragon Chicken recipe in 30 minutes for a delicious weeknight meal!
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Ingredients

  • 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 to 6 small chicken breast fillets
  • 2 shallots, or 1 small red onion, finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 160 ml (⅔ cup) dry white wine
  • 125 ml (½ cup) chicken stock
  • 125 ml double cream, (heavy whipping cream), see Kitchen Notes
  • 1 tablespoon cornflour, (US: cornstarch) mixed with 1 tablespoon water
  • 1 tablespoon fresh tarragon, finely chopped, see Kitchen Notes
  • parsley, finely chopped
  • sea salt
  • freshly cracked pepper

Instructions 

  1. Heat the oil in a large skillet or saucepan over high heat.
  2. Season the chicken breasts generously with salt and pepper.
  3. 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. The best way to achieve a nice colour on the chicken is to not move the chicken too often.
  4. Once the chicken is golden and caramelised on both sides, remove them to a plate. The chicken does not need to be fully cooked through at this stage.
  5. Add a bit more oil to the pan as needed.
  6. Add the shallots (or onions) and garlic. Cook for a few minutes until they have softened.
  7. Pour the white wine into the pan and let it simmer for a few minutes until it has reduced slightly.
  8. Use a wooden spoon to stir the mixture and to lift any caramelised bits from the pan.
  9. Pour in the chicken stock and cream, together with the fresh tarragon.
  10. Let the sauce simmer gently for a few minutes.
  11. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed.
  12. Slowly pour in the cornflour slurry, stirring the sauce as you do. You may not need all of the cornflour slurry - use as much as you need until the sauce has thickened slightly.
  13. Return the chicken to the pan and place them in the sauce.
  14. Turn the heat down to low-medium, and place a lid on the saucepan.
  15. Cook gently for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the chicken pieces have cooked through.
  16. Garnish with parsley or more tarragon before serving.

Kitchen Notes

  • DRIED TARRAGON
    If you can't find fresh tarragon, I recommend using 1 teaspoon of dried tarragon.
  • WHAT TO SERVE WITH CREAMY TARRAGON CHICKEN
    * boiled potatoes
    * mashed potatoes
    * Crispy Roast Potatoes
    * steamed asparagus
    * steamed broccoli
    * steamed green beans
  • MAKE IT DAIRY-FREE
    To make this recipe dairy-free, substitute the cream for a plant-based soya cream. Start with half the quantity of soya cream, and add more to taste.
  • OVEN & STOVE TEMPERATURES
    All recipes on this website have been tested on an induction stove and/or with a conventional oven (i.e. an oven without fan). All recipes on this website use temperatures for a conventional oven, unless otherwise mentioned. Convection ovens (i.e. fan-forced ovens) are typically 20°C/70°F hotter than conventional ovens, but please check your manufacturer’s handbook.
  • CONVERSIONS
    To convert from cups to grams, and vice-versa, please see this handy Conversion Chart for Basic Ingredients.
Nutrition Information
Serving: 1g, Calories: 264kcal, Carbohydrates: 6.3g, Protein: 24.1g, Fat: 12.2g, Cholesterol: 91.8mg, Sodium: 95.7mg, Fiber: 0.3g, Sugar: 1.7g

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