Creamy French Chicken Tarragon (Poulet à l’Estragon)

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. 

This recipe is the perfect combination of old-school comfort, with tender chicken in a rich creamy sauce, and Summer freshness with the assertive aromatics of tarragon. This is a French family staple that will soon become yours too, I promise!

About French Tarragon 

For this recipe, make sure you get French Tarragon, and not Russian or Mexican (which is sometimes called “impostor” Tarragon). French Tarragon is said to be the “real” tarragon with very aromatic leaves that have a flavor akin to aniseed and licorice.

If you are unsure what type of Tarragon you have, do a taste test. The leaves should have a clear aniseed flavor with a tongue-numbing effect. Now, in my opinion, Russian or Mexican tarragons still have a nice taste, but are slightly more bitter. They also tend to lose their flavor when cooked, so they won’t deliver the signature flavor of this dish. 

Can you make this dish ahead?

Yes, you can absolutely make this dish the day before. A Creamy French Chicken Tarragon is a delicious, hearty and comforting recipe suited for any night of the week. Yet it is a little more impressive than your average chicken stew, so it is also perfect for hosting. I think this dish is actually even better the next day – reheated- which is great to save time when hosting a dinner party. You can make this recipe the day before, and re-heat it on the stove-top over low heat just before serving.

How to serve this dish?

A Creamy French Chicken Tarragon is best served over rice, tagliatelle or buttery mashed potatoes. On the side, you can serve Green Beans Almondine (Haricots Verts Amandine) or grilled asparagus. A crusty baguette on the table is also mandatory for dipping into the sauce. 

How to store this Creamy French Chicken Tarragon ? 

Any leftovers? You can keep it in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. 

• In the refrigerator: let the the dish cool completely and store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Reheat your portions on the stovetop on low heat, so 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.

Common Questions

Can I use dairy-free alternatives for this recipe?

I have never personally made this recipe dairy-free, but I would suggest 1 of 2 things. First is to just omit the cream, as it isn’t absolutely vital to the dish (but will alter it some). Second, there is a suggestion in the comments that Silk’s Heavy Whipping Cream Alternative works well in this dish, without curdling. I do not at all recommend Almond Milk as it will curdle.

Can this dish be made ahead of time?

It can. I have more than once enjoyed this dish as lunch at the office the day after making it. The one thing you will have to be ok with, is the skin on the chicken will no longer be crispy if made ahead. Not a huge deal, but if being made for a special event, I would opt to make it just before serving.

I don’t have any tarragon, what can I use as an alternative?

In my honest opinion, nothing. This recipe relies on a very limited amount of ingredients, and the flavour of tarragon is extremely important to it. It is not a substitutable herb like others can be. You could omit the herb altogether, but would be left with an extremely simple tasting dish.

Cooking notes & Substitutions: 

• French Chicken Tarragon is meant to use a whole bird, cut into pieces. I recommend you buy the best quality bird you can find. A locally raised and free-range one is ideal. Bone-in pieces truly impart so much flavor to this dish, so I recommend you go this route. If you are shy about butchering the chicken, you can ask your butcher to cut the chicken into 6 pieces: 2 quarters, 2 wings and 2 breasts (and keep the carcass to make stock!).
• For convenience, you can use 6 chicken pieces (ie. thighs, quarters or breasts) instead of a whole chicken divided. 
• I recommend you salt your chicken beforehand (at least 1 hour before), to allow the salt to penetrate the meat. If you’re interested in knowing more about how salt is used to build and enhance flavor in food (especially for meats), I recommend the book Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat by Samin Nosrat.
• Leaving the skin on the chicken is essential to this recipe. The chicken will be first cooked, skin-side down, in the pan. The fat from the skin will melt and render into the pan. It is then used to caramelize the onion and garlic, and as a base for the sauce. It will contribute greatly to building flavors in this dish. You can choose to remove the skin later on – in your plate, once the dish is served.
• For the white wine, I recommend you choose one that is dry and crisp, such as Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Pinot Gris or Pinot Blanc.
• For this recipe, you will need a large skillet or Dutch oven (with a lid) that can go from the stove-top to the oven. 

I hope you’ll love this Creamy French Chicken Tarragon (Poulet à l’Estragon) recipe as much as I do! If you have any comments, please leave a comment. 

More Chicken recipes you may like: 

• Classic French Roast Chicken
• Classic French Coq Au Vin Rouge
• Poule Au Pot (Chicken in a pot)
• French Chicken And Mushroom Pie (Tourte)
• Classic French Coq Au Vin Blanc
• Chicken Breasts in Creamy Mushroom Sauce
• Simple Chicken Marengo with mushrooms 
• Chicken Chasseur (Classic French Hunter’s Chicken)
• Braised Chicken thighs with garlic and onion

Creamy French Chicken Tarragon

Print Recipe

Serves: 4-6 people Prep Time: 20 Minutes Cooking Time: 1hr 10min 1hr 10min

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 3.9/5

( 57 voted )

Ingredients

1 whole chicken, cut into 6 pieces
2 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp (28g) butter (unsalted)
1 medium onion (or 2 shallots), peeled and sliced
2 garlic cloves, peeled and diced
1 cup (250ml) chicken stock
½ cup (125ml) dry white wine
2 tbsp fresh tarragon, chopped (+ extra for garnish) 
½ cup (120g) heavy cream
More salt, pepper to taste

Instructions

Make sure you read the cooking notes before you start.

Step 1 – One hour prior to cooking, rinse the chicken 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 375°F (190°C) 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 pieces 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 pieces 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 pieces 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.