Indulge in a culinary journey with our delectable Chicken in Tarragon Sauce, a symphony of flavors that will tantalize your taste buds. This classic French dish showcases tender chicken enveloped in a rich and creamy sauce infused with the aromatic essence of tarragon. Perfectly balanced with a touch of acidity and a hint of sweetness, this dish promises a delightful experience with every bite.
Uncover the secrets behind this timeless recipe, exploring variations that cater to diverse preferences. Discover a lighter version featuring a flavorful broth-based sauce or embrace the indulgence of a creamy rendition prepared with a luscious béchamel base. For those seeking a touch of elegance, delve into the intricacies of a tarragon-infused velouté sauce that elevates the dish to new heights of sophistication.
Accompany your Chicken in Tarragon Sauce with an array of tempting side dishes that complement its delicate flavors. Delight in the freshness of a crisp green salad, savor the earthy notes of roasted vegetables, or indulge in the comforting warmth of mashed potatoes. Each pairing promises a harmonious culinary experience that will leave you craving more.
Embark on a culinary adventure with our comprehensive guide to Chicken in Tarragon Sauce. Discover the versatility of this dish as you explore an array of recipes that cater to your unique tastes. Prepare a classic French bistro-style dish, or experiment with modern interpretations that add a contemporary twist to this timeless recipe.
FRENCH CHICKEN TARRAGON
Tarragon doesn't get enough love. Most people know it only in its dried form, and administered with a heavy hand. But a few sprigs of fresh tarragon can be lovely. It's a traditional component of the mixture called fines herbes, contributing sweetness and an almost anise-like flavor. It happily finds its way into salads, vinaigrettes, and homemade mayonnaise, and it is often the herb of choice for chicken or fish. Tarragon is especially well suited for these braised chicken thighs, complementing the white wine and crème fraîche.
Provided by David Tanis
Categories Dinner Chicken Tarragon Lemon Shallot Braise Wheat/Gluten-Free
Yield 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Season the chicken generously with salt and pepper. Let stand for 30 minutes to 1 hour at room temperature.
- Heat the oven to 400°F. Put an enameled cast-iron Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the butter and shallots and cook, stirring, until softened and lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and chopped tarragon and cook for 1 minute (be careful not to let the garlic brown). Arrange the chicken thighs in the pot in one layer, add the broth and wine, and bring to a simmer.
- Put the lid on and place the pot on the middle shelf of the oven. Bake for 15 minutes, then lower the heat to 350°F and continue baking for 45 minutes, or until the thighs are tender. Put the thighs on a platter, cover loosely, and keep warm.
- Strain the pan juices through a fine sieve into a saucepan and spoon off any rising fat. Place the pan over medium-high heat, add the crème fraîche and lemon zest, and simmer until the sauce is slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
- Spoon the sauce over the chicken, garnish with tarragon leaves, and serve.
SHEET-PAN TARRAGON CHICKEN WITH SHERRY VINEGAR ONIONS
Roasting chicken with tarragon is a classic combination, but here it's given a twist. Instead of a whole bird, bone-in thighs are marinated in tarragon and garlic, then quickly roasted over a bed of sliced onions. As the chicken cooks, the fat renders, coating the onions, while the fragrant steam rising from the onions flavors the bird. It's a succulent, easy and very flavorful dinner. If you'd rather use all white meat, substitute bone-in chicken breast halves, and start checking them after 20 minutes.
Provided by Melissa Clark
Categories dinner, poultry, main course
Time 7h
Yield 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- In a large bowl, stir together tarragon, garlic, oil, salt and pepper. Add chicken thighs and toss to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 6 hours, and up to overnight.
- Heat oven to 425 degrees. Spread onions out on a rimmed baking sheet, drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss well. Clear spaces on the baking pan, then place chicken pieces in the cleared spaces so the onions surround the chicken. Strew thyme and tarragon sprigs over onions and chicken.
- Roast, tossing the onions after 15 minutes, until chicken is cooked through and the onions tender, 25 to 35 minutes. If the chicken skin or onions are not as brown as you'd like, run pan under the broiler for 1 to 2 minutes at the end of cooking.
- Place chicken on a platter. Drizzle onions with sherry vinegar and more salt and pepper if needed. Spoon onions around the chicken and serve.
CHICKEN BREASTS IN TARRAGON CREAM
If you're an herb lover, this dish, which takes 10 minutes to prepare from start to finish, will become a standard in your repetoire.
Provided by Food Network
Categories main-dish
Time 10m
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- 1. Browning the chicken. Season both sides of the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large (10 to 12-inch) skillet over medium-high heat. Using tongs, carefully lower the chicken breasts into the pan and cook them for about 1 minute on each side just until hey begin to brown slightly. Transfer the still-raw chicken to a plate.
- 2. Poaching in cream. Reduce the heat under the skillet to low. Add the shallot and cook, stirring constantly, until softened but not browned, less than 1 minute. Add the vermouth and cook for 30 seconds, then add the cream and half the tarragon. Return the chicken breasts to the pan and adjust the heat so that the cream gently simmers. Cover and cook until the chicken is firm and just cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes. To check for doneness, cut into the thickest part of a breast with a paring knife ¿ there should be no sign of pink or translucence.
- 3. Finishing. Transfer the chicken breasts to a warmed serving platter or individual dinner plates. The sauce should be thick enough to lightly coat a spoon. If it is too thin, continue to simmer it for about 1 minute and it will thicken. Stir in the remaining tarragon and the lemon juice, then taste and season with additional salt and pepper if needed. Pour the sauce over the chicken and serve right away with buttered egg noodles.
TARRAGON CHICKEN WITH LEMON
Provided by Food Network Kitchen
Categories main-dish
Time 35m
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Heat a medium-large skillet over high heat. Add the olive oil. Season the chicken all over with salt and pepper, and lay the pieces in the pan rounded-side down first (the side that had the skin). Cook the chicken, turning only once, until golden brown on both sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer chicken to an oven-proof dish, reserving the skillet. Place the chicken to the oven and bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken registers 170 to 75 degrees F, about 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, pour the vermouth into the reserved skillet, scraping up any browned bits that cling to the pan with a wooden spoon, and cook over medium heat until the liquid reduces by about half. Add the chicken broth and continue to cook until slightly thickened.
- In a small bowl whisk a teaspoon or so of cold water with the cornstarch, then whisk the mixture into the broth and bring to a full boil. Remove from heat and add the zest, lemon juice, and tarragon. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Remove the chicken from the oven. Pour any pan drippings from the chicken into the sauce and stir to combine. Divide the chicken pieces between 4 plates. Pour the sauce over the chicken and serve.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 256 calorie, Fat 10 grams, SaturatedFat 2 grams, Carbohydrate 3 grams, Protein 35 grams
CHICKEN WITH TARRAGON AND WHITE WINE
Provided by Giada De Laurentiis
Categories main-dish
Time 1h15m
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- For the chicken: In a Dutch oven or large saucepan, heat the oil over high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, to taste, and dust with flour. Cook the chicken, turning occasionally, until brown on all sides, about 8 minutes. Remove the chicken and set aside.
- For the sauce: Heat the same pan used for the chicken over medium-high heat. Add the onions and garlic and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 5 minutes. Increase the heat to high. Add the wine and scrape up the brown bits that cling to the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Return the chicken pieces to the pan. Add 3 cups of chicken broth and 1/2 cup of tarragon and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover the pan and cook, turning the chicken pieces over every 10 minutes, until cooked through, about 30 minutes total for the breasts and wings and 40 minutes total for the legs and thighs. Transfer the chicken to a platter and loosely tent with foil while finishing the sauce.
- To finish the sauce: In a small bowl, mix together the remaining 1/3 cup chicken broth and flour. Whisk the flour mixture into the sauce until smooth. Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook, uncovered, until thickened, about 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the butter and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve the sauce over the chicken and garnish with the remaining 2 tablespoons of tarragon.
CREAMY FRENCH CHICKEN TARRAGON
Chicken, fresh tarragon, cream and white wine are no strangers to a French kitchen - and they all come together wonderfully in this classic French-bistro fare. This creamy French Chicken Tarragon, known as "Poulet à l'Estragon", is a simple one-pan recipe that's both comforting and fresh tasting. Chicken thighs are first browned and braised in white wine for tenderness. Cream is then added for extra richness. But it's really fresh tarragon, a staple herb in French cooking with assertive aniseed-like notes, that gives the distinctive flavor to this unique dish. ...
Provided by Audrey
Categories Entrées
Time 40m
Yield 4-6 people
Number Of Ingredients 1
Steps:
- Make sure you read the cooking notes before you start.
- Step 1 - Two hours prior to cooking, rinse the chicken thighs under cold water and pat-dry thoroughly with paper towel. Season each piece with salt and pepper on both sides. Set aside, at room temperature.
- Pre-heat your oven to 375F (190C) with a rack in the middle.
- Step 2 - Heat up a large oven-safe frying pan (or skillet) over medium heat with the butter. When the butter is sizzling, place the chicken thighs in, skin-side down. Cook for about 10 minutes, without touching, until the chicken skin is golden brown and the chicken is ¾ done; just firm. Flip the chicken thighs and cook for 10 more minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate and cover with foil. Keep the pan hot and do not rinse it (keep the chicken drippings in).
- Step 3 - Add the onion and garlic to the pan. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is lightly caramelized. Nestle the chicken thighs back into the pan, on top of the onion. Sprinkle with the chopped tarragon. Pour the chicken stock and white wine into the pan. Bring to a simmer and transfer the pan into the oven for 30 minutes (covered).
- Step 4 - Take the pan out of the oven, back onto the stove top at medium heat. Transfer the chicken to a plate and cover with foil again. Stir the cream into the pan. Bring to a simmer and keep stirring until the sauce thickens (this could take 7-8 minutes). Place the chicken thighs back into the pan and cook for 5 more minutes.
- For serving, sprinkle chicken pieces with fresh tarragon leaves.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 200, Fat 20 grams
TARRAGON CHICKEN
This is a quick-time version of the classic French poulet a l'estragon (though you could speed it up further by bashing out the chicken breast or by using a turkey cutlet in its place, which would make this dish pleasingly alliterative) and is an instant reminder of the comforts of old-school cooking. Tender chicken (it's the poaching early on that sees to this), aromatically fresh and insistently herbal tarragon, a generous splosh of vermouth, all rounded off by rich, pale cream: this has the nostalgic, yet robust, charm of that French bistro of fond memory or happy imaginings. If you can't get fresh tarragon, do not despair: just double the freeze-dried tarragon at the start and add some freshly chopped parsley at the end. And I can assure you it would be worth your while considering a teaspoon of tarragon mustard, too, along with the cream. About which, please don't wimp out on me: this is old-fashioned cooking which cannot be proscribed by new-age dietary concerns. But, if you insist, halve the cream, and add another 2 tablespoons of vermouth when you're pouring the rest in after the chicken's had its first 5 minutes cooking. Eat with a tumbled mixture of French or green beans and asparagus tips along with steamed baby white-skinned potatoes or, hard to beat for me, some white basmati rice forked through with a soupcon of butter and freshly ground white pepper.
Provided by Nigella Lawson : Food Network
Time 28m
Yield 2 servings
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Heat the garlic oil in a frying pan or Dutch oven that has a lid and in which the chicken breasts will fit pretty snugly. Add the scallions, stir, then sprinkle in the freeze-dried tarragon, stir again and cook them in the garlic oil for a minute, stirring some more as they cook.
- Put the chicken fillets into the pan, curved side down, and cook for 5 minutes, watching the scallions don't burn. If they look like they're beginning to, scrape them from the pan and let them sit on the chicken pieces.
- Turn over the breasts, and add the vermouth (or white wine). Let the vermouth bubble up, then add the salt. Put the lid on, turn the heat down low and leave it to simmer gently for 10 minutes. Check the chicken is cooked through by making a small cut into the thickest part and ensuring the juices run clear - if not, simmer for a few minutes longer and check again.
- Remove the chicken breasts to warmed plates. Bring the remaining liquid to a boil, add the cream and stir well, then sprinkle in the fresh tarragon, stir again and give a good grind of white pepper.
- Pour the sauce over the chicken breasts, and give a final scattering of tarragon to serve.
Tips:
- Mise en place: Before you start cooking, make sure you have all of your ingredients and tools ready to go. This will help you stay organized and avoid any scrambling.
- Choose the right chicken: For this recipe, it is best to use boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs. If you are using chicken with bones, be sure to remove them before cooking.
- Don't overcrowd the pan: When searing the chicken, be sure to not overcrowd the pan. This will prevent the chicken from cooking evenly.
- Use a heavy-bottomed pan: A heavy-bottomed pan will help to evenly distribute the heat and prevent the chicken from burning.
- Cook the chicken until it is cooked through: The chicken is cooked through when it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Make sure the sauce is thickened: The sauce should be thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. If the sauce is too thin, you can simmer it for a few minutes longer or add a cornstarch slurry.
- Serve immediately: Serve the chicken and sauce immediately over rice, pasta, or vegetables.
Conclusion:
This chicken in a tarragon sauce is a delicious and easy-to-make dish that is perfect for a weeknight meal. The chicken is tender and juicy, and the sauce is creamy and flavorful. With a few simple tips, you can make this dish a success. So, gather your ingredients, put on your apron, and get cooking!
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