Crème Fraîche Chicken

This creamy crème fraîche chicken is full of flavour and perfect for a family meal or entertaining friends.

The crispy chicken is flavoured with tarragon and fragrant juniper berries in an easy crème fraîche sauce.

Bon appétit!   

Jump to:

• ❤️ Why you will love this dish
• 🤔FAQS
• 🥘 Ingredients
• 🍽 Equipment
• 🔪 Instructions
• 🥗 Side Dishes
• 🥙 Substitutions
• 📖 Variations
• 🍣 Storage
• 🍱 Prepare in Advance
• You may also like
• 📋 Recipe
• Chicken and Turkey
• Food safety
• 💬 Comments

Chicken with tarragon is a magic combination that I never get tired of. Whether it's sprinkled over roast chicken or added to chicken gravy, it goes so well together.

The basis for this recipe has been a family favourite for years, because it's easy, economical and absolutely delicious. Whether you are entertaining or enjoying a family meal at home, this is a great recipe that always turns out perfect.

For this dish you can use any part of the chicken or even leftovers and the meat will stay succulent due to the easy sauce.

Best of all this dish is on the table in 30 minutes from start to finish so it's perfect for a midweek treat too. Just set the veggies to cook while you tend to the chicken.

❤️ Why you will love this dish

• Great for entertaining or a family dinner.
• Use any cut of chicken.
• Simple to make.
• Ready in 30 minutes.

🤔FAQS

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🥘 Ingredients

• Chicken - with chicken breasts more expensive we often use thigh meat at home. It has a richer, gamier flavour and the meat stays moist when it's cooked on the bone. Nowadays it's difficult to buy chicken breast with the skin on and I do like a little bit of crispy skin. Of course, feel free to remove the skin.
• Juniper berries - if you have not used juniper berries before they are the main flavouring in gin and the clean aromatic flavour goes perfectly with the tarragon.
• Crème fraîche - use full fat or reduced fat. The reduced fat version works treally well in savoury sauces and still gives a creamy taste.
• Tarragon - this dish calls for fresh tarragon, which I grow in the garden, but if you can't get it then used dried. Dried tarragon is one of only a few that isn't gritty and woody and I often throw some dried tarragon in my chicken gravy.
• Flour - plain all purpose flour for thickening the sauce
• Stock - chicken stock
• Wine - dry white wine such as sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio.
• Seasoning - freshly ground black pepper and salt to taste as often chicken stock made from a cube or ready made can be salty.

The printable recipe card with full ingredient quantities and instructions can be found at the bottom of the article.

🍽 Equipment

• sharp knife
• chopping board
• measuring jug
• wooden spoon
• large frying pan, skillet or cast iron shallow casserole dish

🔪 Instructions

Remove the tarragon leaves from the stem and chop.

Trim off any visible fat and excess skin from the chicken and pat dry with kitchen paper.

Mix the flour with the seasoning in a shallow bowl and dredge the thighs.

Heat a little oil and butter in a large shallow pan and put the chicken in skin down. Cook for about 5 minutes until golden.

Turn over the chicken to brown and remove some of the excess fat from the pan that has come from the skin.

Turn over the chicken so that it is skin side up so that the skin remains crispy.

Next, add the wine and allow to bubble for a couple of minutes to reduce. Now pour in the stock, most of the tarragon and juniper berries.

Feel free to leave out the wine and add some extra stock instead.

Simmer for 10-15 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. To keep the skin crispy try not to pour the liquid onto the chicken.

Check the seasoning then stir the crème fraîche through the sauce. Serve with the remaining tarragon sprinkled over.

Crunchy skin, moist meat and an creamy tarragon sauce with juniper.

What could be better?

🥗 Side Dishes

With a creamy sauce like this serve the crème fraîche chicken with some crispy potatoes or try some of these side dishes.

If you are short on time, serve with boiled rice or pasta.

• Chateau Potatoes
• Crispy Smashed Potatoes
• Boursin Mashed Potatoes
• Fondant Potatoes
• Potatoes Aligot
• Potatoes Rissole
• Potatoes Boulangere
• Boursin Mashed Potatoes
• Sarladaise Potatoes
• Potatoes Parisienne
• Parmentier Potatoes
• Duchess Potatoes

🥙 Substitutions

• Crème fraîche - use soured cream or double (heavy) cream.
• Chicken thighs - use drumskicks or chicken breasts. This is also a great way of using up leftover chicken. Just make the sauce first then add the chicken. Thicken the sauce with some cornflour mixed with water.
• Tarragon - fresh thyme is also delicious with chicken.

📖 Variations

• Vegetables - add some sliced mushrooms, shallots, asparagus or green beans.
• Garlic - add a couple of crushed garlic cloves for a minute before adding the wine.

🍣 Storage

• Refrigerator - cool, cover and store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
• Freezer - cool and pack leftovers into airtight containers. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator.
• Reheat - reheat in a pan over a medium heat until hot. The sauce may split on heating. If this happens, add a little milk and cornflour mixed with water to the pan and stir until it combines.

🍱 Prepare in Advance

• If you want to get ahead prepare the chicken and cook up to the the point of adding the crème fraîche.

Let me know what you think in the comments or you can post a picture and tag me on Twitter @chezlereve, Instagram @chezlerevefrancais, or Facebook @chezlerevefrancais

You may also like

• Herby Spatchcock Chicken
• Chicken Mornay
• Chicken Wing Confit
• Chicken Terrine
• Chicken Salad Croissant
• Coq au Vin
• French Cassoulet with Chicken
• One Pan Lemon Garlic Chicken Bake
• Creamy Chicken with Sun Dried Tomatoes
• Harissa Chicken Traybake
• Guinea Fowl with Chestnuts and Bacon
• Chicken and Chorizo Traybake

📋 Recipe

Food safety

We sometimes take for a granted that we have years (or decades) of cooking experience, that the average visitor may not. Add to, or remove from, the list below with health and safety tips.

• Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
• Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
• Wash hands after touching raw meat
• Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
• Never leave cooking food unattended
• Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
• Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove

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