Equipment
Ingredients
Chicken
- 800 g bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, patted dry
- 5 g kosher salt
- 2 g black pepper, freshly ground
Aromatics & Vegetables
- 15 ml olive oil
- 30 g unsalted butter, divided into two portions
- 250 g cremini mushrooms, quartered
- 100 g shallots, finely diced
- 15 g garlic, minced
Sauce
- 150 ml dry white wine
- 300 ml chicken stock
- 150 ml heavy cream
- 15 g dijon mustard
- 10 g fresh tarragon, leaves chopped, stems reserved whole
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 781 kcal
- Protein
- 41 g
- Carbohydrates
- 14 g
- Fat
- 59 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 6 g
- Sodium
- 958 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 22 g
- Trans Fat
- 1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 22 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 8 g
- Cholesterol
- 255 mg
- Potassium
- 1017 mg
- Calcium
- 107 mg
- Iron
- 3.2 mg
- Magnesium
- 69 mg
- Phosphorus
- 465 mg
- Zinc
- 3.7 mg
- Vitamin A
- 258 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 5 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.9 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.5 mg
- Vitamin K
- 9 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.9 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 1.4 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.25 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.68 mg
- Niacin
- 11.8 mg
- Folate
- 33 mcg
- Water
- 271 g
- Alcohol
- 4 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Season the chicken thighs thoroughly and evenly on all sides with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Place the Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and half of the unsalted butter. Once the butter is melted and foaming subsides, place the chicken thighs skin-side down. Sear undisturbed for 6 to 8 minutes until golden brown, then flip and sear the other side for 2 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate using tongs.
Lower the heat to medium. Add the remaining unsalted butter to the rendered chicken fat in the pot. Add the quartered mushrooms and sauté until they release their moisture and begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in the finely diced shallots and minced garlic, cooking for an additional 2 minutes until softened and fragrant.
Pour the dry white wine into the pot to deglaze. Scrape the bottom of the pot vigorously with a wooden spoon to release all the browned bits into the liquid. Let the wine simmer and reduce by half, which should take roughly 3 minutes.
Pour in the chicken stock and drop in the whole reserved tarragon stems. Return the seared chicken thighs and any accumulated resting juices to the pot. Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer at 85°C/185°F, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and braise for 30 minutes.
Using tongs, carefully remove the cooked chicken to a clean plate. Locate and discard the spent tarragon stems. Increase the heat to medium-high and boil the cooking liquid for about 5 minutes to reduce its volume by one-third, concentrating the flavors.
Lower the heat back to medium-low. Using a whisk, swiftly incorporate the heavy cream and Dijon mustard into the reduced liquid. Simmer the sauce very gently for 3 to 4 minutes without letting it reach a rolling boil. The sauce is ready when it lightly coats the back of a spoon.
Return the chicken thighs to the sauce to warm through. Stir the freshly chopped tarragon leaves into the liquid. Verify with a meat thermometer that the thickest part of the chicken registers an internal temperature of at least 74°C/165°F. Serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Tarragon can easily overpower a dish. By adding the bruised stems during the initial braise and the fresh, chopped leaves only at the very end, we build a layered, complex anise flavor without bitterness.
- For the richest fond, do not overcrowd your Dutch oven. If your pot is small, sear the chicken thighs in two batches. Overcrowding drops the pan temperature and causes the meat to steam rather than brown.
- Ensure your white wine is bone-dry and crisp. A Sauvignon Blanc provides excellent acidity to cut through the heavy cream, whereas sweet wines will clash awkwardly with the savory mustard.
- Braising bone-in, skin-on thighs creates an incredibly rich broth because the collagen from the bones melts into the cooking liquid. Boneless breasts can be substituted but will require significantly less cooking time to avoid drying out.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container. The sauce will thicken significantly when cold.
Freezer: 1 month — Freezing is possible, but the cream sauce may split upon thawing. Reheat very gently to help re-emulsify.
Reheating: Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat, adding a splash of chicken stock or water if the sauce is too thick. Do not boil.
Troubleshooting
The cream sauce splits or looks curdled
Cause: The liquid was allowed to boil vigorously after the dairy was added, or the fat content of the cream was too low to handle the acidity of the wine and mustard.
Fix: Remove the pot from the heat immediately. Whisk in one tablespoon of cold heavy cream or ice water vigorously to help re-emulsify the fats.
Prevention: Use heavy cream with at least 35 percent fat and ensure the liquid only simmers gently once the cream is incorporated.
The chicken skin is flabby and pale
Cause: The chicken was not dried thoroughly before searing, or it was moved too soon in the pan.
Fix: Cannot be fixed once braising has begun, though the flavor will remain excellent. To salvage appearance, you can remove the skin entirely before serving.
Prevention: Pat chicken completely dry with paper towels and leave it undisturbed in hot fat until it releases naturally from the pan.
Cultural Context
Poulet à l'Estragon is a cornerstone of classic French bistro cooking, hailing from regions known for their exceptional poultry and dairy, such as Bresse and Normandy. Tarragon is one of the four traditional 'fines herbes' of French cuisine. In this application, its distinct licorice-like aroma cuts beautifully through the luxurious richness of the cream and mustard, showcasing the quintessential French culinary philosophy of balancing heavy fats with bright, aromatic herbs.
