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Chicken in Tarragon Sauce is bringing the flavor because bland chicken has no place at your table! This one skillet wonder combines juicy, pan-seared chicken breasts with a rich, creamy sauce. Plus, no runny disasters here. Just velvety goodness perfect for mopping up with bread.
My creamy tarragon sauce is rich, velvety, and packed with flavor. It’s the kind of sauce that begs for a side of bread, pasta, or potatoes to soak up every drop.
Here is Why This Creamy Tarragon Chicken Recipe Works
Flavor-packed: Dijon, white wine, and fresh tarragon team up for a sauce that’s creamy, herby, and perfect for sopping up crusty bread.
No dry chicken drama: Pounding the chicken ensures even cooking, so it stays juicy and tender.
One skillet, zero fuss: Everything happens in a single pan so you don’t have extra dishes.
Velvety, rich sauce: Parmesan and a proper reduction guarantee a thick, creamy sauce that clings to the chicken breasts.
The Ingredients
- Meat: Chicken breasts (skinless, boneless)
- Produce: Garlic cloves, fresh tarragon, fresh tarragon sprigs (for garnish)
- Pantry: Vegetable oil, chicken broth, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper
- Dairy: Heavy cream, grated Parmesan cheese
- Other: Dry white wine
Variations for Tarragon Chicken
Creamy Mushroom Tarragon Chicken: Add 1 cup of sautéed cremini mushrooms to the sauce.
Spicy Tarragon Chicken: Add ½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes to the garlic step along with a pinch of cayenne pepper.
Bacon and Creamy Tarragon Chicken: Cook 4 slices of chopped bacon until crispy, remove them, and use the bacon drippings for the chicken sear. Stir the crispy bacon back into the sauce before serving.
If you like this recipe, try my cod with tarragon butter or my chicken salad with tarragon dressing.
Recipe Tips
- Flattening the chicken with a mallet ensures even cooking.
- Sear the chicken in the skillet first to build flavor and lock in juices.
- A cast-iron or stainless steel skillet holds heat well and gives you a golden, crispy sear.
- Scrape up every browned bit after adding the wine—those bits = serious flavor.
- Take your time reducing the wine and broth; it thickens the sauce and deepens the flavor.
- Stir in fresh tarragon at the end to preserve its delicate, herby flavor.
- Reheat the chicken in the sauce for a minute or two; just enough to warm through without overcooking.
- You can cook the sauce in advance and reheat gently, then add freshly seared chicken before serving.
- Spoon the sauce over mashed potatoes, pasta, or rice to soak up every drop of goodness.
Storing Leftovers
- Storing Leftovers: Transfer the chicken and sauce to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Store the chicken and sauce together to keep the meat moist.
- Freezing: Place leftovers in a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag. Label with the date and freeze for up to 2 months. For best results, freeze the chicken and sauce together.
- Reheating: Warm the chicken and sauce in a covered skillet over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through. Add a splash of broth or cream if the sauce thickens too much.
Pro Tip: Cream sauces can sometimes separate when reheated. Whisking in a small splash of cream or broth while reheating will help the sauce come back together smoothly.
Creamy Tarragon Chicken Breasts
Chicken in Tarragon Cream Sauce is a little bit of magic in a skillet. This recipe proves that a restaurant worthy meal can happen right in your kitchen. Plus, it’s easy, elegant, and practically made for soaking up with mashed potatoes or a hunk of crusty bread.
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Chicken in Tarragon Cream Sauce
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Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts, (6 ounces each), skinless, boneless
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, such as avocado or grapeseed
- 3 garlic cloves, grated or minced
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
- Fresh tarragon sprigs for garnish
Instructions
- Trim any excess fat from the chicken breasts and pat them dry with a paper towel.
- Place them between two pieces of plastic wrap and pound the thick part with a meat hammer until they are ½-in thick. Season with salt and pepper.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken breasts and cook for 4 minutes without moving, until they are nicely browned. Flip the them and cook the reverse side for another 4 minutes. Transfer them to a plate and cover them with foil.
- Reduce the heat to medium and carefully pour off the excess fat from the skillet, leaving about 2 tablespoons in the pan. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds.
- Add the white wine to the skillet, deglazing by scraping up any bits from the bottom and cook for 1 minute. Add the chicken broth and cook until reduced by half, about 4-5 minutes. Stir in the Dijon mustard, salt, pepper and the Worcestershire sauce. Whisk in the cream, whisking until smooth.
- Reduce the heat to low and simmer the sauce for another 2-3 minutes.
- Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the chopped tarragon and the Parmesan cheese.
- Return the chicken to the skillet, submerging them into the sauce. Cover the skillet and allow the chicken to reheat in the sauce for 1-2 minutes.
- Garnish the chicken with fresh tarragon sprigs and serve.
Notes
- For a good sear, don’t move the chicken after placing it in the skillet. After 3 minutes, nudge it gently, if it releases easily, flip it. If not, cook for another minute.
- Flattening the chicken with a mallet helps with even cooking.
- Scrape up every browned bit after adding the wine to get the most flavor in the sauce.
- Take your time reducing the wine and broth; it makes the sauce rich and thick.
- Stir in fresh tarragon at the end to preserve its flavor.
- Reheat the chicken in the sauce just enough to warm through without overcooking.
- You can cook the sauce in advance and reheat gently, then add freshly seared chicken before serving.
- Serve this chicken on a mound of mashed potatoes, pasta or rice.
- If you have extra large chicken breasts, you will need to increase the cook time or trim the tenderloin off if desired.
- This recipe is naturally gluten-free, but check labels on Worcestershire sauce, chicken broth, and pre-grated Parmesan, as some brands may contain gluten.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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