This Creamy Tarragon Chicken is an easy one-pan version of classic French bistro fare! Crispy chicken thighs swimming in a bright and herby tarragon cream sauce — there is nothing more comforting. All you need to make this recipe is 20 minutes of prep, then the oven does the rest of the work. It’s a decadent and cozy recipe you need in your life!
“Made this for tonight’s dinner. So delicious!! My husband loved it and he’s super picky. I served it over buttered pasta. Thank you for this recipe!!” – Alma, So Much Food reader
Table of Contents
This Is My Definition of Comfort Food
Tarragon chicken is a classic French dish of braised chicken in a white wine and cream pan sauce that’s bolstered by the flavor of fresh tarragon and lemon. It’s delicious, bright, and has such a nice, zippy flavor from the tarragon.
This is exactly what you’d expect to eat in a little French bistro, except that my easy recipe comes together in one pan in under an hour! I am a sucker for one-pan comfort food recipes and this creamy tarragon chicken delivers big time.
This is the coziest of weeknight dinners and perfect for serving over mashed potatoes, pasta, rice, or with a side of crusty bread for soaking up all that sauce.
Tools Needed
Ingredients & Substitutions
You can find the full list of ingredients, quantities & method in the recipe card at the end of the page.
- Bone-in chicken. You can use thighs or whole leg quarters here. I don’t recommend using breast because it typically dries out while braising.
- Tarragon. Tarragon is a staple herb in French cooking. It’s bright and grassy with peppery-anise notes and it’s a great addition to sauces. Dried tarragon just doesn’t have the same zip, so I highly recommend sourcing fresh French tarragon.
- Shallots. I love the delicate flavor that shallot adds, but you could swap in yellow onion if needed.
- Garlic. Use fresh garlic cloves (not the jarred minced stuff).
- Dijon mustard. My favorite Dijon mustard comes from Trader Joe’s because it’s so fragrant and flavorful.
- White wine. Opt for something dry and bright here; sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio are nice. Make sure it’s a wine that you’d drink.
- Chicken stock. Homemade is always best, but this is one of those recipes that you can get away with using store bought.
- Heavy cream. This is not a recipe where you want to skimp on milk fat so I don’t recommend using anything else unless you use creme fraiche.
- Lemon zest and juice. The lemon zest adds brightness and the juice is perfect for finishing off the chicken.
How to Make Tarragon Chicken in 1 Pan
- Prep the chicken. The key to super crispy chicken skin is to salt and pepper the thighs and then refrigerate them uncovered for several hours before searing. This gives the salt time to tenderize and season the meat, and for the skin to dry out slightly.
- Sear the chicken. I prefer using my cast iron braiser for this recipe because it distributes heat evenly and gives the chicken a gorgeous sear. Let the chicken brown for a good 7ish minutes with the skin down so it turns deeply golden.
- Sauté the aromatics. Build the rest of the recipe in the same pan you browned the chicken in; this will give the tarragon cream sauce SO much flavor. Add the shallots and garlic to the now-empty pan with a little butter and cook just until softened.
- Build the sauce. Sprinkle some flour over the aromatics and cook for a few minutes to remove its raw flavor. Whisk in the white wine, followed by the Dijon, chicken stock, and cream. Let the sauce bubble gently until thickened.
- Braise the chicken. Return the chicken thighs to the pan, pop the lid onto the braiser, and cook at 350ºF for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and continue cooking until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 175ºF.
Jenny’s Tips for Making This Recipe
Season the chicken well. It’s not enough to simply have a well-seasoned sauce, but you want the chicken to be seasoned well, too! Don’t be shy with the salt and pepper.
Pat your chicken very dry. This is KEY to getting that crispy skin! When the skin feels wet or damp to the touch, it won’t brown well in the skillet. Use paper towels to pat the chicken pieces dry all over.
Don’t crowd the pan. Always make sure your pan is adequately pre-heated before you brown your chicken. That being said, you also don’t want to crowd the pan as the chicken will bring down the overall temperature. You may need to sear the chicken in batches depending on the size of your skillet.
Don’t rush the browning of the chicken. We’re not just browning the skin, we’re actually rendering some of the fat out so that the skin continues to crisp up as it cooks in the oven. Don’t rush the process as it may take 8-10 minutes for the skin to get really nice and deeply browned.
What to Serve on the Side
I love serving this chicken in tarragon cream sauce because it’s such a versatile main dish! You can pair it with virtually anything, but here are my favorite sides:
- Creme fraiche mashed potatoes
- Garlic green beans
- Little gem Caesar salad
- Buttered egg noodles
- Steamed white rice
- Crusty baguette slices
If you do give this recipe a try, be sure to let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. Be sure to subscribe to my weekly newsletter and never miss a new recipe! You can also snap a photo & tag @JENNYGOYCOCHEA on Instagram. I LOVE hearing about & seeing your SMF creations!
More One-Pan Chicken Dinners to Make
- Coq au Vin Blanc
- Easy Chicken Piccata
- Skillet Chicken Pot Pie
- Dutch Oven Roast Chicken
- Apple Cider Braised Chicken Thighs
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Creamy Tarragon Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs*
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 shallots, sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup white wine
- 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 1/3 cup minced fresh tarragon leaves
- kosher salt & freshly cracked black pepper
- ½ lemon, for squeezing
Instructions
- Prep the chicken. Pat the chicken very dry and then season all over with salt and pepper. Transfer to the fridge uncovered (skin-side up) for 4-8 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
- Sear the chicken. Heat the oil in a braiser or large oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, place the chicken in the skillet skin-side down. Reduce the heat to medium low and brown the chicken for 7-8 minutes, until the skin is very golden brown. Flip the chicken and cook for 2 minutes, then transfer to a plate. Remove all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the skillet.
- Saute the shallots and garlic. Add the butter to the skillet and increase the heat to medium. Once the butter is melted and foamy, add the sliced shallots and garlic and use a spoon to scrape up any browned bits. Cook for 3-4 minutes, until the shallots are soft and starting to brown.
- Build the sauce. Sprinkle in the flour and stir well. Cook the flour for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, and then stir in the wine so that no lumps of flour remain. Bring to a gentle simmer and stir in the dijon, chicken stock, and cream. Bring to a gentle simmer until the sauce thickens. Season to taste with salt and lots of cracked black pepper and then stir in the tarragon and lemon zest.
- Braise the chicken. Nestle the chicken, skin-side up, into the sauce, cover, and transfer to the oven. After 30 minutes, remove the lid and continue cooking for another 30 minutes. Check the internal temperature to ensure that it’s reached at least 165 F.
- Finish. Remove the skillet from the oven and squeeze the lemon juice over the chicken. Garnish with more chopped tarragon and serve over mashed potatoes or buttered noodles.
Storage Instructions
- Storage: Let the dish cool completely and store it in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat your portions on the stovetop on low heat, adding broth and cream as necessary. Keep the heat low so that the sauce doesn't separate.I don’t recommend freezing this dish. Saucy dishes made with dairy don’t handle the thawing process very well.
Rate & Review This Recipe
I feel like I don’t need to cook the chix in the over for 70 minutes but that might be just me
Cooking the chicken a little longer in the sauce makes it more tender. But I also used large chicken thighs, if yours are smaller then you won’t need to cook them as long. I’ll leave a note in the recipe–thanks for your feedback!
Excellent dish! Turned out beautifully. I used my biggest le creuset and was able to cook 10 thighs so we have a night of leftovers, too!
Love that! So happy you enjoyed the recipe!
Made this for tonight’s dinner. So delicious!! My husband loved it and he’s super picky. I served it over buttered pasta. Thank you for this recipe!!
The highest compliment is converting picky eaters! Thank you so much for your feedback!