Description
An elegant yet comforting one-pan French bistro–style chicken dish featuring crispy chicken thighs simmered in a creamy, herbaceous tarragon sauce brightened with lemon and Dijon.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 shallots, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
¾ cup chicken stock
1½ cups chicken stock
¾ cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons lemon zest
⅓ cup fresh tarragon leaves, minced
Kosher salt, to taste
Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
½ lemon, for squeezing
Instructions
- Pat chicken thighs very dry and season generously with salt and pepper. Refrigerate uncovered, skin-side up, for 4–8 hours.
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Heat olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Add chicken skin-side down, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook 7–8 minutes until deeply golden and crisp.
- Flip chicken, cook 2 minutes more, then transfer to a plate. Remove all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the skillet.
- Add butter and melt over medium heat. Add shallots and garlic and cook 3–4 minutes, scraping up browned bits.
- Sprinkle in flour and stir constantly for 2–3 minutes.
- Slowly stir in ¾ cup chicken stock until smooth, then add remaining stock, Dijon mustard, and heavy cream.
- Bring to a gentle simmer until slightly thickened. Season with salt and pepper, then stir in tarragon and lemon zest.
- Return chicken to the skillet, skin-side up. Cover and transfer to the oven.
- Bake for 30 minutes, then uncover and bake another 30 minutes until chicken reaches 165°F internally.
- Finish with fresh lemon juice and serve.
Notes
Fresh tarragon is essential for authentic flavor.
Bone-in, skin-on thighs stay juicier and crisp better.
Add sautéed mushrooms for extra depth.
Reheat gently to prevent the cream sauce from separating.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken thigh with sauce
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 620mg
- Fat: 36g
- Saturated Fat: 16g
- Unsaturated Fat: 17g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 8g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 38g
- Cholesterol: 165mg
