Chicken Tarragon Saute

This is old-school French bistro cooking stripped to its bones. A whole chicken cut into pieces gets sautéed skin-side down in butter until deep golden brown, then flipped and finished with tarragon and a quick pan sauce made from scallions and chicken broth.

The 40-minute sauté (20 per side) is what makes this recipe work. That long, steady browning in butter renders the skin crisp and builds a fond on the bottom of the skillet. Those dark, caramelized bits are pure concentrated chicken flavor, and they become the foundation of the sauce.

Splitting the tarragon between two stages is a smart technique. Half goes into the butter while the chicken cooks, infusing the fat. The other half goes into the pan sauce at the end, preserving its bright, anise-like flavor.

Chef Tips

• Shake the pan occasionally while sautéing. This prevents the skin from sticking and tearing when you flip.
• Pour off the grease before building the sauce, but save a tablespoon. That reserved fat carries all the browned butter and tarragon flavor back into the sauce.
• Scrape the bottom of the skillet thoroughly when deglazing with broth. Every bit of fond dissolves into flavor.
• Don’t crowd the skillet. If your pan is smaller than 12 inches, work in batches.

Variations

• Add a splash of white wine or dry vermouth when deglazing for a more classic French pan sauce.
• Stir a tablespoon of Dijon mustard into the finished sauce for a sharper, creamier finish.
• Use fresh tarragon if available. Double the amount and add it at the very end for a more vibrant herb flavor.