Why You’ll Love This this French-Style Melt-in-Your-Mouth Tarragon Chicken
This French-inspired chicken dish transforms simple ingredients into something that tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen, when really it’s just a quick sauté with creamy sour cream and fragrant tarragon.
The chicken practically melts in your mouth thanks to that luscious sauce, and honestly, who doesn’t need more excuses to use fresh herbs that make your kitchen smell like a Parisian bistro.
You’ll have dinner on the table in under 20 minutes, which means you can finally stop staring into your fridge wondering what magic you’re supposed to conjure from leftovers and good intentions.
Ingredients List
You’ll need just seven simple ingredients to create this creamy, herb-infused masterpiece that’ll make your taste buds do a little happy dance.
- 1 1/4 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 shallots
- 2 teaspoons butter
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons fresh tarragon, chopped
- Salt and pepper
A Few Things Worth Mentioning About These Ingredients:
- The sour cream adds richness but also brings some calcium and protein to the party, though it’s not exactly what you’d call a health food
- Fresh tarragon is packed with antioxidants and has this amazing licorice-like flavor that dried tarragon just can’t match
- Chicken breast keeps things lean and protein-heavy, which is great if you’re trying to eat somewhat sensibly
- Shallots are basically onions’ sophisticated cousin and contain compounds that might help with heart health, so there’s that
- Using both butter and oil gives you flavor from the butter but prevents it from burning, which is honestly just smart cooking
Step by Step Directions
This French-inspired chicken dish comes together in about 15 minutes with simple pan-searing and a creamy tarragon finish.
- Prep the ingredients: Peel and chop the shallots, then cut the chicken into bite-size pieces and season with salt and pepper.
- Brown the chicken: Heat butter and oil together in a frying pan, add chicken pieces and stir to brown on all sides.
- Add aromatics: Add the chopped shallots and let simmer 5 minutes over low heat.
- Create the sauce: Pour sour cream into the pan with chicken and shallots, letting it cook down for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Finish with herbs: Add the fresh tarragon and let simmer another 30 seconds.
- Serve immediately: Transfer to plates while hot for the best flavor and texture.
For an authentic French cooking experience, consider preparing this dish in French copper cookware which provides excellent heat distribution and temperature control.
Substitutions and Variations
- Wine lover’s version: Replace half the sour cream with white wine – let it reduce for an extra minute and you’ve got yourself a more elegant sauce
- Bulk it up: Sliced mushrooms added with the shallots make this feel more substantial, plus they soak up all that creamy goodness like little flavor sponges
Additional Things to Serve With This Dish
This creamy tarragon chicken practically begs for some good company on the plate.
- Rice or grain bowls – Whether it’s fluffy basmati, wild rice, or even quinoa for the health-conscious crowd, these grains soak up that gorgeous cream sauce like they were born for it.
- Mashed or roasted potatoes – Because to be frank, potatoes and cream sauce are basically best friends, and roasted baby potatoes give you those crispy edges that contrast beautifully with the silky chicken.
- Simple pasta – Egg noodles, penne, or even buttery orzo turn this into a one-bowl wonder that’ll have you scraping the bottom clean.
- Crusty bread – A good baguette or sourdough slice is perfect for mopping up every last drop of that tarragon-infused sauce, which would be a crime to waste.
- Light vegetables – Steamed green beans, roasted asparagus, or a simple arugula salad help cut through the richness without competing with those delicate herb flavors.
- Cauliflower rice – For when you want to feel virtuous but still indulge in all that creamy goodness, this low-carb swap does the trick without sacrificing satisfaction.
Cooking Tips & Tricks (Chef’s Notes)
A few insider secrets can turn this simple dish into something that’ll make your kitchen smell like a French bistro.
- Don’t rush the chicken browning – Those golden edges aren’t just pretty, they’re flavor bombs waiting to happen, so resist the urge to move the pieces around too much.
- Keep your heat gentle once the sour cream goes in – High heat will curdle that creamy sauce faster than you can say “oops,” and nobody wants lumpy chicken.
- Fresh tarragon is non-negotiable – Dried tarragon tastes like hay compared to the bright, almost licorice-like punch of fresh leaves, so please don’t skimp here.
- Slice your shallots thin and uniform – They cook more evenly this way, and you won’t end up with some pieces burnt while others are still crunchy.
- Let the chicken rest in the sauce for a minute – This gives all those flavors time to mingle and get acquainted, like a little flavor party in your pan.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning at the end – The sour cream can dull the salt a bit, so don’t be afraid to add a pinch more if it needs it.
- Have everything prepped before you start cooking – This dish moves quickly once you get going, and scrambling for ingredients while your chicken overcooks is a recipe for stress.
Nutritional Facts
This protein-packed dish delivers a satisfying meal with balanced macronutrients and essential vitamins.
- Calories: Approximately 320 per serving (serves 4)
- Protein: 32g – excellent source for muscle maintenance and satiety
- Fat: 18g – primarily from sour cream and cooking fats
- Carbohydrates: 4g – mainly from shallots and natural chicken content
- Saturated Fat: 8g – monitor portion sizes if watching saturated fat intake
- Cholesterol: 105mg – from chicken breast and dairy
- Sodium: 280mg – varies based on seasoning added
- Vitamin A: 12% daily value – from sour cream and fresh herbs
- Calcium: 8% daily value – contributed by the sour cream
- Iron: 6% daily value – from the chicken breast
- Potassium: 520mg – helps support heart health and muscle function
- Phosphorus: 15% daily value – important for bone health
Fun “Did You Know?”
Did you know that tarragon earned the nickname “little dragon” from its serpentine roots and fiery flavor profile?
I find it fascinating that French tarragon can’t produce viable seeds, so it’s propagated through root division. This herb was once believed to cure snake bites and dragon wounds in medieval times.
French chefs consider tarragon one of their four essential “fines herbes” alongside chervil, chives, and parsley.
What’s remarkable is that tarragon contains estragole, the compound that gives it that distinctive anise-like taste.
I love how this “dragon herb” transforms simple chicken into something extraordinarily aromatic and sophisticated.
