Nigel Slater Chicken Tarragon is made with chicken breasts, olive oil, young leeks, white vermouth or white wine, chicken stock, lemon juice, and tarragon. This delicious chicken tarragon recipe creates a flavorful and easy dinner that takes about 30 minutes to prepare and can serve up to 2 people.
Ingredients Needed:
- 2 large chicken breasts (200-245g each), skin on and bone attached
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and black pepper, to season
- 3 small young leeks, thickly sliced and washed
- 200ml chicken stock
- 1 wine glass of white vermouth or white wine
- Juice of ½ lemon
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon leaves
- Optional: 2 tbsp crème fraîche for a richer sauce
How To Make Nigel Slater Chicken Tarragon:
- Sauté the Chicken: Warm 3 tbsp of olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Season the chicken breasts lightly with salt and black pepper, then place them in the pan. Cook for about 10 minutes, basting occasionally with the oil, until the chicken turns pale gold. Flip the breasts and continue cooking for another 10 minutes or until browned.
- Cook the Leeks: Add the thickly sliced leeks to the pan, cover with a lid, and let them cook with the chicken for about 8-10 minutes, until the leeks soften but still remain bright in color.
- Add Liquids and Tarragon: Pour in a wine glass of white vermouth or white wine and 200ml of chicken stock. Turn up the heat to let the mixture bubble and reduce. Squeeze in the juice of half a lemon and add 2 tbsp of chopped tarragon leaves. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
- Optional Addition: For a richer dish, stir in 2 tbsp of crème fraîche towards the end of cooking, and let it melt into the sauce.
- Finish Cooking: Continue cooking until the chicken is thoroughly cooked and the sauce has thickened slightly. The leeks should be soft and flavorful, and the chicken juicy.
- Serve: Serve hot, ideally with a side of rice pilau to soak up the lemony tarragon sauce.
Recipe Tips
- Use fresh tarragon: Fresh tarragon gives the best flavor, so try not to use dried herbs for this dish.
- Brown the chicken properly: Make sure the chicken breasts are well-browned on both sides before adding the leeks and liquids. This adds extra flavor to the dish.
- Don’t overcook the leeks: Cook the leeks until they are soft but still brightly colored. This keeps the leeks tender without losing their flavor or texture.
- Let the sauce reduce: After adding the wine and chicken stock, allow the sauce to bubble and reduce for more concentrated flavor.
- Add crème fraîche for richness: If you want a creamier dish, stir in a couple of tablespoons of crème fraîche at the end for a richer sauce.
How To Store & Reheat Leftovers
Storing in the Fridge: Let the chicken cool completely, then store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Freezing: This dish can be frozen. Allow it to cool, then place it in a freezer-safe container. It can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Reheating: Reheat in a pan over medium heat until warmed through, or use the microwave, heating in short bursts to avoid overcooking the chicken.
Nutrition Facts
- Calories: 500
- Carbohydrates: 6g
- Protein: 45g
- Fat: 33g
- Fiber: 2g
- Sodium: 550mg
- Sugar: 2g
Try More Nigel Slater Recipes:
Nigel Slater Chicken Tarragon
Description
Nigel Slater Chicken Tarragon is made with chicken breasts, olive oil, young leeks, white vermouth or white wine, chicken stock, lemon juice, and tarragon. This delicious chicken tarragon recipe creates a flavorful and easy dinner that takes about 30 minutes to prepare and can serve up to 2 people.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Sauté the Chicken: Warm 3 tbsp of olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Season the chicken breasts lightly with salt and black pepper, then place them in the pan. Cook for about 10 minutes, basting occasionally with the oil, until the chicken turns pale gold. Flip the breasts and continue cooking for another 10 minutes or until browned.
- Cook the Leeks: Add the thickly sliced leeks to the pan, cover with a lid, and let them cook with the chicken for about 8-10 minutes, until the leeks soften but still remain bright in color.
- Add Liquids and Tarragon: Pour in a wine glass of white vermouth or white wine and 200ml of chicken stock. Turn up the heat to let the mixture bubble and reduce. Squeeze in the juice of half a lemon and add 2 tbsp of chopped tarragon leaves. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
- Optional Addition: For a richer dish, stir in 2 tbsp of crème fraîche towards the end of cooking, and let it melt into the sauce.
- Finish Cooking: Continue cooking until the chicken is thoroughly cooked and the sauce has thickened slightly. The leeks should be soft and flavorful, and the chicken juicy.
- Serve: Serve hot, ideally with a side of rice pilau to soak up the lemony tarragon sauce.
Notes
- Use fresh tarragon: Fresh tarragon gives the best flavor, so try not to use dried herbs for this dish.
- Brown the chicken properly: Make sure the chicken breasts are well-browned on both sides before adding the leeks and liquids. This adds extra flavor to the dish.
- Don’t overcook the leeks: Cook the leeks until they are soft but still brightly colored. This keeps the leeks tender without losing their flavor or texture.
- Let the sauce reduce: After adding the wine and chicken stock, allow the sauce to bubble and reduce for more concentrated flavor.
- Add crème fraîche for richness: If you want a creamier dish, stir in a couple of tablespoons of crème fraîche at the end for a richer sauce.
Nigel Slater Chicken Tarragon