Lemon-Tarragon Chicken

Tarragon and lemon are one of those classic French pairings that just works every time.

Chicken breasts cook in butter with halved mushrooms, garlic, dry sherry, crushed tarragon, and lemon-pepper seasoning. The sherry deglazes the pan and adds a nutty sweetness, while the tarragon brings that signature anise-like warmth.

Once the chicken is done, a flour-and-broth slurry thickens the pan juices into a proper sauce. A spoonful of that hot sauce gets stirred into the sour cream first (tempering it) before everything goes back into the skillet. This prevents the sour cream from curdling, which happens if cold sour cream hits a boiling pan.

Serve over hot egg noodles so nothing goes to waste.

Chef Tips

• Don’t boil the sauce after adding the sour cream. High heat curdles it. Keep the temperature at a gentle simmer.
• Temper the sour cream by stirring a little hot sauce into it first, then returning the mixture to the pan.
• Use dry sherry, not cooking sherry. Cooking sherry is loaded with salt and tastes nothing like the real thing.

Variations

• Swap tarragon for fresh dill for a different herby direction that still complements lemon.
• Use white wine instead of sherry for a lighter, brighter sauce.
• Serve over rice instead of noodles if you prefer.