How long it takes: 1 hour Equipment you’ll need: sharp knife, cutting board, large skillet, stove Servings: 4 A cook’s friend. This skillet meal is one of my go-to dinners. It’s easy to customize; just use the veggies you have in the fridge. The light sauce pulls everything together and it’s so yummy with the distinctive anise flavor of tarragon and bright lemon. It feels a little fancy. Everyone likes it. I struggled a bit with what to name this recipe. it. We always call it “that chicken thing mom loves with mushrooms and couscous”. It’s kind of a stew with gravy and it’s kind of a stir-fry. It reminds me a bit of creamy chicken à la King but this recipe is made without dairy products. Most importantly, it’s really good, everyone loves it, and that’s what matters. I’ll give you a quick description of how to make this easy skillet dinner, along with a few helpful tips.
Ingredient Notes
Chicken: I like boneless skinless chicken thighs but feel free to substitute boneless skinless chicken breasts if you prefer white meat. Carrots, Mushrooms, Onions: This trio of vegetables is nutritious, delicious, and readily available. Substitute or add other veggies if you like. Garlic: The recipe calls for 2 cloves of fresh garlic but feel free to add more or less, depending on how much you like garlic. No fresh garlic? Use ½ teaspoon garlic powder instead. Tarragon: If you aren’t familiar with this herb, this is a great opportunity to try it. Tarragon is a perennial woody herb that tastes like anise, or sort of like licorice. If you can’t find fresh, dried tarragon is widely available.
Flour and Chicken Broth: Use these two ingredients to make the “gravy”. It’s basically a lightly thickened sauce. Frozen Peas: Stirred in right at the end of the cooking time, frozen peas add a pop of bright green to the recipe. A Squeeze of Fresh Lemon: Lemon juice brightens the flavor of this chicken stew. Couscous, for serving: Couscous is a very small pasta. You’ll love it because it’s super easy to cook. Use whole wheat couscous if you can find it (try Trader Joe’s). Pictured is pearl couscous (aka Israeli couscous), which is another great option. You could also serve rice or pasta.
How to make Tarragon Chicken
Prep work. Gather together everything you’ll need before you get started. Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and season with salt and pepper. Prep the mushrooms, carrots, and onions and mince the garlic cloves. Okay, now you’re ready to get cooking! Brown chicken. Heat oil in a large skillet. Add the chicken and brown it. It doesn’t have to be completely cooked through because it will do some more cooking later. Remove it from the pan to a plate or bowl. Cook veggies. Add a little more oil to the pan, and beginning with the mushrooms, then the carrots and onions, sauté the veggies until they begin to soften. Throw in the garlic and tarragon for a minute, stirring constantly. Add the flour, still stirring, and cook for one minute. The flour will coat the veggies and the mixture will look a little sticky and weird but don’t worry. Make sauce. Next, slowly stir in the broth. Now you should start to see a nice sauce start to form as the mixture comes to a simmer. Simmer. Add the chicken back to the pan, cover it, and simmer for ten minutes. Uncover the pan, and simmer five more minutes. Just a reminder: Now’s a good time to get the couscous started. Finish. When you’re almost ready to serve this dish, add the peas and a squeeze of lemon juice to the pan. Cook for just a couple more minutes. Serve. Serve the chicken and vegetables with the couscous, garnished with more tarragon, if you like. So good! Serve tarragon chicken with a simple green salad, like classic arugula salad or cucumber ribbon salad with yogurt herb dressing. For a winter salad, try citrus salad with mint, honey and lime.
Recipe Variations
Add or substitute different vegetables: bell peppers, pea pods, celery, or whatever you like. Longer cooking vegetables should be cooked together with fast cooking veggies at the end (just like a stir-fry!). Substitute a different herb, such as basil, parsley, thyme (use less), or fresh oregano if you don’t care for tarragon or don’t happen to have it. Meat options: Both white or dark meat chicken are fine. Pork tenderloin is good, too. Make it a vegetarian dish: Stir in cubes of baked tofu or air fryer tofu near the end of the cooking time. Rather have soup? Try creamy chicken rice soup or Instant Pot chicken and rice soup.
Make Ahead Ideas
Get a head start: Do all the prep work ahead of time and store everything in the fridge until you’re ready to get cooking. Cut up the chicken and slice the onions, mushrooms, and carrots. Peel the garlic cloves and harvest the tarragon (if it’s coming from your garden). It will be a breeze to get dinner on the table.
Storage & Reheating Suggestions
Refrigerate/Freeze: Leftovers can be stored in the fridge in a tightly covered container for up to 3 days. If you’d like to keep it longer, store in the freezer for up to one month. For best results, thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating. Reheat: Reheat in a skillet or saucepan on the stove, or smaller portions in the microwave in 30-second increments until heated through.
Leftover Love
Try adding additional broth to leftover chicken and vegetables to make an easy and delicious soup. Heat broth, chicken, and vegetables in a saucepan until nice and hot. Stir in cooked noodles, if desired, or serve with homemade croutons.
Interested in a weekly meal plan that includes this recipe? Take a look at my Meal Plan #38. You’ll find a wholesome recipe for each weekday plus a categorized grocery list. Let me do the planning for you this week! We add a new meal plan weekly.
