Chicken & Mushrooms in a Tarragon Sauce

Tarragon and chicken is one of the great pairings in French cooking, and this recipe strips it down to the essentials. Bite-sized chicken breast and sliced mushrooms cook together in a skillet, then get blanketed in a quick cream sauce seasoned with dried tarragon.

Draining the drippings before building the sauce is smart. It removes the excess oil from the initial cook, so the cream sauce stays clean and light rather than greasy.

A full cup of whipping cream thickened with just two teaspoons of flour gives you a silky, pourable sauce that coats the chicken without being gluey. Whisk the flour into the cold cream before adding it to the pan so it dissolves evenly and you avoid lumps.

Dried tarragon is concentrated, so ¼ teaspoon is all you need. The anise-like flavor blooms in the hot cream and infuses the whole dish. More isn’t better here; too much tarragon turns bitter.

Kitchen Tips

• Cut the chicken into truly bite-sized pieces so they cook evenly and quickly
• Don’t overcrowd the skillet; the chicken should sear, not steam
• Serve immediately over hot rice; the sauce thickens as it cools

Variations

• Use fresh tarragon (triple the amount) stirred in at the end for a brighter herb flavor
• Add a splash of dry white wine to the pan before the cream for extra depth
• Swap rice for egg noodles or mashed potatoes