Chicken in Tarragon Mustard Cream Sauce

You know those recipes you have bookmarked or otherwise saved for months, or years, and when you finally make them, you wonder why you waited so long?

Yep, this is one of those. I'm smacking myself.

Chicken in Tarragon Mustard Cream Sauce
adapted from Food and Wine

Ingredients

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 pound white mushrooms, thinly sliced
3 spring onions, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup dry white wine
1 1/4 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup heavy cream (or half and half)
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons chopped tarragon

Method

In a very large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil. Season the chicken generously with salt and pepper and add it to the skillet in a single layer. Cook over high heat, turning once, until browned but not cooked through, about 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken to a plate. Pour off any fat in the skillet.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the skillet. Add the mushrooms and cook over medium high heat, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 4 minutes. Add the spring onion and garlic and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the wine and cook until reduced to 2 tablespoons, about 3 minutes. Add the stock, cream and mustard and bring to a boil. Cook until the sauce has reduced by half, about 5 minutes.

Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the skillet and simmer over moderate heat until the chicken is cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes; season with salt and pepper, if needed. Stir in the tarragon. Serve over buttered noodles or rice.

NOTES

This dish is so quick to prepare and so simple to cook, it's almost laughable how huge the payoff in flavor and complexity is. But hey... mustard, white wine, cream. Come on. It's classic for a reason. Add garlic and fresh herbs and you are hitting a home run every time, guaranteed.