This tarragon braised chicken recipe is something that you’ll love for being simple yet so impressively delicious. We’re browning our chicken pieces in chicken stock, white wine, and tarragon and finishing it off with sour cream to make a luscious sauce. While it’s cooking, you can prepare the rest of the meal to serve it with, like this macaroni salad and blueberry peach cobbler.
Tips on Making Braised Chicken
Braising is a cooking method where meat is seared then cooked low and slow in a flavorful braising liquid until it’s tender. In this section, you’ll learn expert tips on how to braise chicken so you can have them perfectly at home every time.
- We recommend using bone-in skin-on chicken thighs. Braised chicken thighs are the most flavorful because they have a good ratio of bones, meat, and fat. But feel free to use other cuts that you prefer like legs, quarters, or breasts. Do note that lean braised chicken breasts need less cooking time.
- To get a good sear, use a heavy-bottom cooking pan that distributes heat evenly. Cast iron skillet and dutch oven are great choices for this.
- The braising liquid should be just enough to partially cover the meat. You want the flavors to concentrate as it’ll reduce and turn into a sauce later on.
- Substitute red wine for white wine if that’s what you have on hand. You can also add other delicious aromatics like tomato paste, bay leaf, chives, and thyme, for instance.
- Easily make it a hearty meal by throwing in some baby potatoes in the last 15 minutes of cooking. Once it’s done, you have boiled potatoes ready to eat with your chicken tarragon.
How To Make Braised Chicken with Tarragon
The tarragon gives this chicken dish a deep herby flavor, while the sour cream makes it lusciously creamy. This braised chicken with tarragon is an elegant recipe you can easily make at home.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp cooking oil
- 5 lb chicken thighs
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 shallot, minced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ cup white wine
- 2 bunches tarragon leaves, chopped, save some for garnish
- 1 cup chicken stock, or water, add more as needed
- salt, to taste
- 2 cups sour cream
- 1 tsp lemon zest
Instructions
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Heat up a large skillet on high. Pour the oil in.
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Dry the chicken using paper towels.
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Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
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Sear the chicken starting on the skin side, until all sides are brown. Do this in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan. Once done, set the chicken aside on a plate.
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Using the same pan, heat up the butter. Saute the shallots and garlic until translucent.
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Deglaze with white wine and let it cook for 1 minute, scraping the bottom of the pan.
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Add the tarragon, seared chicken pieces, and chicken stock. The liquid should cover half of the chicken. Let it boil before turning the heat to the lowest.
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Let it cook for 1 hour or until the chicken is fork-tender and an instant-read thermometer reaches 165 degrees F.
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Turn off the heat. Add the sour cream and lemon zest and adjust the seasoning to your liking.
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Let the chicken rest for 15 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Nutrition
- Sugar: 4g
- :
- Calcium: 185mg
- Calories: 1314kcal
- Carbohydrates: 9g
- Cholesterol: 494mg
- Fat: 104g
- Fiber: 1g
- Iron: 4mg
- Monounsaturated Fat: 42g
- Polyunsaturated Fat: 19g
- Potassium: 1251mg
- Protein: 78g
- Saturated Fat: 32g
- Sodium: 548mg
- Trans Fat: 1g
- Vitamin A: 1264IU
- Vitamin C: 4mg
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Frequently Asked Questions
Should braising liquid cover the meat?
No. The idea is to cook the meat slowly at a low temperature so that it tenderizes as it cooks. If you put too much liquid, the meat will be fully cooked before it becomes tender, leaving the finished product dry. Also, you want the flavor to be concentrated. Using too much liquid will dilute it. The liquid should come up to only halfway up the meat.
Can you braise the chicken too long?
Yes. The answer to how long to braise chicken varies, but it’s done when the chicken is fork-tender and it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. Beyond that, it’ll overcook and end up dry.
What goes with braised chicken?
This tarragon braised chicken recipe is already flavorful, so we recommend pairing it with something else that’s not heavily seasoned. It’s great with starch like roasted potatoes and fresh pasta. It also pairs well with greens like baked asparagus.
Conclusion
Preparing a hearty meal is made easy with this braised chicken thighs recipe. Enjoy tender chicken and flavor-packed tarragon sauce achieved through braising.Have your own special recipe to share? Submit Your Recipe Today!
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