Creamy Mushroom & Tarragon Chicken with Green Beans
Sherry adds a rich nutty note to this mushroom sauce, which we’ve made extra-creamy by stirring in tangy cream cheese.
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Tarragon is the starring herb in this creamy mushroom-based chicken dish. It is one of four essential herbs utilized in French cooking. (The others are parsley, chives and chervil, FYI). With a distinct aroma of anise, this flavorful herb adds depth and dimension to chicken and egg dishes in particular. You’ll feel positively French pulling off this hearty Creamy Mushroom & Tarragon Chicken with Green Beans recipe.
Considering how impressive this dish looks, smells and tastes, you won’t believe it can be made in just 30 minutes! Not only that, but the recipe comes together so simply that once you’ve tried it, it’s hard to forget! First, skillet-brown some tender chicken breasts in salt and pepper. Second, create an herby mushroom base with onion and garlic and, of course, tarragon. Then, cook the chicken to completion in this fragrant base and whisk in tangy cream cheese for creaminess and greater flavor depth. Lastly, cook beans till tender-crisp and portion alongside your tarragon chicken! This is the perfect warming dish with which to welcome the cooler weather.
P.S. Once you’ve mastered this quick tarragon chicken recipe, try at your hand at an equally creamy, equally herby sister dish: our Tarragon Chicken with White Wine Cream Sauce.
Ingredients
- 4 6-oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1/2 tsp each sea salt and ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 8 oz cremini or white button mushrooms, sliced
- 1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 tsp dried tarragon
- 2 tbsp whole-wheat flour
- 1/4 cup dry sherry or dry white wine
- 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/4 cup full-fat cream cheese
- 1 lb green beans, trimmed
Preparation
- Season chicken with salt and pepper. Mist a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat on medium-high. Add chicken and cook, turning once, until golden brown, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
- In same skillet on medium-high, heat oil. Add mushrooms and onion and sauté, stirring often, until no liquid remains and mushrooms are beginning to brown, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and tarragon and sauté until fragrant, about 45 seconds. Add flour and stir until well combined.
- Add sherry and cook, scraping up browned bits from bottom of pan, until reduced by half, about 30 seconds. Stir in broth. Return chicken and any juices to skillet. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook, turning chicken halfway through, until chicken is no longer pink inside, about 10 minutes. Whisk in cream cheese until smooth. Cover and keep warm.
- Meanwhile, in a steamer basket set over a saucepan of simmering water, cook beans until tender-crisp, about 4 minutes. Divide beans among plates and top with chicken and mushroom sauce.
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size 1 breast with 1/4 of sauce and beans
- Calories 362
- Carbohydrate Content 16 g
- Cholesterol Content 139 mg
- Fat Content 14 g
- Fiber Content 4 g
- Protein Content 44 g
- Saturated Fat Content 5 g
- Sodium Content 387 mg
- Sugar Content 6 g
- Trans Fat Content 0 g
- Unsaturated Fat Content 7 g
- Monounsaturated Fat Content 5 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat Content 2 g