Tarragon Chicken
Tarragon chicken is a French classic. Chicken legs are seared in butter and then roasted with tarragon and onions until golden brown. A sauce made from the pan drippings and crème fraîche captures every last lingering nuance of flavor. Easy and elegant.
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 (about 1 1/2 lbs) chicken legs with thighs and drumsticks attached
- 2 yellow onions, sliced 1/4 inch (6 mm) thick
- 3/4 cup white wine, such as Sauvignon blanc
- 5 sprigs tarragon
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons crème fraîche or sour cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC).
- Heat the butter in a 10- or 12-inch skillet over medium-low heat until melted and foaming, about 2 minutes.
- Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and then season the chicken legs with salt and pepper. Crank the heat to medium or medium-high and add the chicken to the skillet, skin-side down. Cook until the skin is golden and crisp, 4 to 6 minutes.
- Flip and cook until the other side is golden, 4 minutes more.
- Strew the onion slices in a roasting pan and then pour in the wine. Finely chop 3 sprigs of tarragon, sprinkle it over the chicken, and season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Place the chicken on top of the onions and pour any leftover butter from the pan on top. Roast, uncovered, for 40 minutes.
- Transfer the chicken to a plate and cover to keep warm. Spoon the onions and juices into a skillet, bring to a simmer, and let it reduce a little. Then whisk in the crème fraîche and cook for 1 minute. Spoon some of the onions and sauce onto each plate and top with a chicken leg and the remaining tarragon leaves.
Nutrition
Serving: 1portion | Calories: 777kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 57g | Saturated Fat: 24g | Monounsaturated Fat: 19g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 250mg | Sodium: 203mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g