Chicken in Tarragon Cream Sauce shouts French. Served with French Fries and a glass of wine and you would think that you were eating in a Parisian Bistro. My preference for this dish is skin on chicken thighs because with this preparation, the skin gets crispy and delicious.
Tip : The sauce can be made a little quicker if being prepared for a home dinner. The same ingredients are used, but use only a quarter to a half cup of white wine and reduce to half, then add a quarter to a half cup of heavy cream and simmer for the 15 minutes or while you bake the French fries. The sauce should be the right consistency and should be completed at the same time that the balance of the meal is finished.
Ingredients
- 8 chicken thighs bone in, skin on
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 1/2 bunch fresh tarragon (about 8 sprigs) stripped from the stalk and chopped fine
- 2 medium shallots finely chopped
- kosher salt
- fresh ground black pepper
- vegetable spray for chicken
Instructions
- Gather all ingredients before starting recipe.
- Liberally season chicken thighs on both sides with kosher salt and set aside for up to one hour before cooking.
- Finely chop 2 shallots 8 sprigs of tarragon and reserve.
Cooking
- Spray a large non-stick frying pan with vegetable spray, place over medium heat and add the seasoned chicken thighs, skin side up.
- Cook the chicken over medium heat for about 15 minutes. The chicken should be gently sizzling in the pan.
- Turn the chicken skin side down, and cook for a further 10-15 minutes, or until the skin is crispy and golden.
- Remove the chicken from the pan and place it on an aluminum foil lined baking sheet. Set aside until ready to bake the French fries.
Finishing
- Pour off all but about 2 tablespoons of fat, return the pan to the heat and add chopped shallots and tarragon. Increase heat to medium high. Sauté shallots until they begin to turn golden, then add the wine and simmer until totally reduced.
- Add the chicken stock and cream, bring to a fast simmer, then reduce to simmer gently. Simmer until the mixture is reduced by half, about 30 - 40 minutes.
Preheat oven to 425°F about 15 minutes before serving
- Place frozen French fries and chicken pieces (skin side down) on to a foil lined cookie sheet and place in a pre-heated oven. Bake French fries to instructions on package.
Serving
- Serve 2 pieces of chicken in the center of the plate lightly drizzled with tarragon cream sauce, add sauce surrounding chicken on one side and serve French fries on a separate plate, or serve the chicken pieces on top of a mound of French fries drizzled with the Tarragon Cream Sauce.
Author Notes
If preparing this dish ahead of the party, reduce the cooking time for the skin down portion in the sauté pan by 15 minutes. Place the chicken pieces skin side up on an aluminum foil lined baking sheet and reserve. When ready to serve, place the chicken in the oven at the same amount of time that you start the French fries in the oven, and bake with the French fries at 425º for about 10-15 minutes.
Reheat the tarragon cream sauce over very low heat for about the same 10-15 minutes.
