This Tarragon Mustard Sauce for Chicken Without Cream is creamy, tangy, salty, and so addictive. The mustard brings tang and spice. The tarragon brings a bright and slight licorice flavor that pairs perfectly with the mustard. The garlic, onion, and chicken base bring depth and savory flavor. Finally, I use cornstarch to thicken the sauce and half and half to bring amazing creaminess.
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword chicken, easy dinner, gluten free
Prep Time 10 minutesminutes
Cook Time 25 minutesminutes
Servings 4servings
Calories 172kcal
Author Carrie Tyler
Ingredients
Chicken Marinade
16ouncesChicken breastboneless skinless
1TablespoonDijon Mustard
2TablespoonWater
1teaspoonExtra virgin olive oil
1teaspoonSalt
½teaspoonGround black pepper
½teaspoonOnion powder
½teaspoonGarlic powder
½teaspoonDried Oreganoyou can also use fresh
½teaspoonDried tarragonyou can also use fresh
Sauce
3teaspoonExtra virgin olive oil
1cupChicken Broth
1cupMilk*
2TablespoonCornstarch
1teaspoonGarlic, minced
½Red Pepper
3Scallions (Green Onions)
2TablespoonFresh Italian Parsley, chopped
1teaspoonTarragon
1tablespoonDijon Mustard
½teaspoonsalt
½teaspoonblack pepper
1TablespoonItalian Parsley, chopped (optional for garnish)
Instructions
Prep Ahead Steps
Slice the red pepper into strips and then cut the strips in half. Mince the garlic. Slice the scallions. Store all together in the fridge until ready to cook.
Cut the raw chicken into large chunks about 1.5 inches. Set the chicken aside to add to the marinade.
In a glass dish or large (gallon) baggie, add dijon mustard, water, oil, salt, pepper, oregano, tarragon, onion powder, garlic powder. Mix together. Add the chicken and mix around to coat in the marinade. You can cook right aware or store this in fridge for up to 24 hours.
Cooking Steps
Preheat large pan/skillet. Add 2 teaspoon olive oil (enough to coat the bottom of pan) then add the marinated chicken to the pan in a single layer and cook for 4-5 minutes until seared on the bottom. Flip and cook another 3-4 minutes. Remove to plate and set aside.
To same pan add another teaspoon of olive oil if needed, then the red pepper, scallions and garlic. Saute for about 5 minutes.
While the veggies cooking, make the slurry by mixing the cornstarch and milk together until dissolved.
Add the broth and then the slurry and whisk to combine and start to thicken, about 3-4 minutes.
Add the dijon, tarragon, salt, pepper, and parsley. Mix to combine. Then add back the chicken. Cook for a final 5 minutes. Serve over rice or quinoa or pasta and enjoy! Garnish with fresh parsley (optional)
Notes
You can make this entire recipe ahead. Store in the fridge in a sealed container for up to 5 days. You can also freeze this in a sealed container for up to 4 months.
To thaw, place in the fridge for 24 hours to thaw. To reheat, you can place in a skillet and warm on medium heat covered for 10-15 minutes.
For the chicken, you can mix it in the marinade and cook it right away or marinade it for up to 2 days in advance before cooking.
You could leave out the red peppers or replace them with a variety of other veggies, such as mushrooms, or zucchini.
To save time, you can use rotisserie or leftover chicken or turkey in this Creamy Tarragon Mustard Chicken recipe. instead of marinating the chicken, cut the chicken or turkey into cubes or shred it. Skip Cooking Step 1 and just add the chicken in Cooking Step 5.
You can use chicken thighs for this Tarragon Mustard Chicken recipe. I recommend sticking with skinless boneless chicken thighs for easy prep and cooking. Consider the amount of thighs that you will need as well. Generally, I estimate 16 ounces or 1 pound of chicken for 4 servings. That will likely mean 5-6 boneless skinless thighs, depending on their size. The recipe instructions will be the same for thighs as the breasts.
This recipe is gluten free if made as is, but always check the labels of your ingredients to ensure they are also gluten free.