This recipe for creamy tarragon chicken and potatoes will become your new favourite. Crispy-skinned chicken legs and baby potatoes in a delicious white wine and cream sauce with a hint of tarragon. French cooking at its best!
Looking for a great starter for this one pan meal? Why not give this Spinach Apple Salad with Bacon and Blue Cheese a try?
I am so thrilled to share this fabulous recipe with you. It’s hard to go wrong when chicken in a cream sauce is involved. Am I right?
This tarragon flavoured sauce is one of the most beautiful inventions of the French cuisine but sadly not as popular in other countries and it should change. Tarragon is a fragrant herb that deserves recognition.
What is tarragon good for?
Terragon is a herb and it goes exceptionally well with chicken and fish as it has a sweet, almost anise seed like fragrance and a slightly peppery taste.
When used in right quantities it can elevate your dish and take it from every day to extraordinary. Tarragon is responsible for the taste of the famous Bearnaise sauce that goes so well with steak!
How to make it
As you can see from the photo above this recipe doesn’t have a very long ingredient list. It pretty much relies on proper techniques and quality ingredients to provide the taste as many French dishes do.
Since we are using skin-on chicken legs it’s important to start the recipe by browning them well on each side. As messy as it is, the browning will improve the taste of the cream sauce and the texture of the chicken. If you really hate the splatter this step creates, you a splash guard to keep oil under control.
The rest is easy. Saute onions and garlic, then deglaze with white wine. Another flavour maker here! Chicken stock, cream and tarragon will finish the sauce, in which we braise the chicken and potatoes for about 40 minutes. Done.
Do I cook the chicken in the oven or stove top?
You can do either. The key is to simmer your browned chicken in the sauce until it’s cooked all the way through and tender.
I prefer cooking mine in the oven uncovered as it gives the chicken skin that beautiful colour and crispy texture. The cream is added in the last 10 minutes to avoid curdling as cream tends to do at high temperatures and prolonged cooking process.
What can I substitute for cream?
If you are avoid dairy for any reason, you can safely use a plant based alternative like Soya single cream. The one made by Alpro is our family’s favourite.
As my son is allergic to dairy we tend to use it in place of cream in many dishes like Swedish Meatballs or Chicken and Bacon Pasta.
More favourite French Chicken recipes
Creamy Tarragon Chicken and Potatoes
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 4 chicken legs 2 lbs/1kg
- salt and pepper
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tbsp flour, heaped
- 125ml/1/2cup dry white wine
- 250ml/1 cup chicken stock
- 4 sprigs fresh tarragon, leaves only
- 1 lbs potatoes or 5 small potatoes
- 125ml/1/2 cup double cream/heavy cream see notes
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180C/350F. Brown seasoned with salt and pepper chicken legs in olive oil until golden on each side but not cooked all the way through. Remove to a plate and set aside.
- Add chopped onion and garlic to the pan and sauté over low heat for 5 minutes, add flour and stir it into the fat, let it cook for a minute or so, then pour in white wine, chicken stock and fresh tarragon leaves, stir until well combined and bring to a boil.
- Bring the chicken legs together with the juices back to the pan, add halved potatoes and cook in the oven at 180C/350F uncovered for 35 minutes, then take the pan out and pour in the cream. Cook for 10 minutes longer until the potatoes are soft and the chicken skin is golden.
Notes
- Single cream or Soya cream (by Alpro) could be used in place of double/heavy cream.
Victoria says
Julia, OMG! I made this for a late lunch/early dinner and it was sooooooooo good. I added more tarragon, but I love how this recipe used simple and real ingredients. The flavor was incredible. It’s in the rotation, girl 🙂
Julia Frey (Vikalinka) says
Thanks so much for your review, Victoria. I am thrilled you loved it.
Michelle says
Absolutely incredible flavor. I could drink this sauce!
Meredith W. says
I made this for dinner for me and the hubby and oh my goodness……it was amazing! I’m always looking for recipes that involve tarragon and let me tell you this one is a keeper. I will definitely add this to my rotation.
Julia Frey (Vikalinka) says
What a lovely outcome! Thank you for your review, Meredith
Alanna says
Hi there is there anything I can sub the wine for? I don’t drink white wine and I don’t want to buy an entire bottle for the sake of 125ml. Is there something I can use instead? Thanks! 🙂
Julia Frey (Vikalinka) says
You can use the same amount of apple juice plus 1 tbsp of white wine vinegar or any other vinegar you might have, Alanna.
Alanna says
Thank you!
This will be my third of one of your dutch oven dishes. The last two I made were sooo yummy. I have no doubt this will be too 🙂
Julia Frey (Vikalinka) says
Amazing!! 🙂
Alanna says
As predicted – amazing!
The third of your recipes and I am starting to think I don’t need my book of favourites I will just cook everything from your website! haha
Can’t wait to try another!
Julia Frey (Vikalinka) says
Yes!!! You are a gem, Alanna! Thank you so much for your support!
Karina says
Amazing recipes
Julia Frey (Vikalinka) says
Thank you Karina!
Rachel says
Made this tonight for my sister and 5 year old.
I used chicken breasts, forgot the flour and added a table spoon of butter to sautee the onions and used dried tarragon in place of fresh because it’s what I had and the sauce still reduced down to be thick.
It was so delicious and flavoursome. Would definitely make again it was so easy. Absolutely love your recipes!
Julia Frey (Vikalinka) says
Thank you for such a lovely review, Rachel!! Thank you for following along. 🙂
Brooke says
Another delicious and easy recipe. Loved it! Thank you!
vikalinka says
You are very welcome, Brooke! Thrilled you enjoyed it.
Katerina @ diethood .com says
I LOVE everything about this dish! It looks and sounds incredibly delicious!
vikalinka says
Thank you!
April says
Tarragon is definitely an underrated flavor. Love this dish!
vikalinka says
So glad to hear it, April!
Stephanie says
I just loved the tarragon flavor with this chicken! So creamy and delicious.
vikalinka says
I am so with you on tarragon, Stephanie!