Creamy Tarragon Chicken (Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free)

Autumn is a wonderful time to tuck into warm dishes, especially slow cooked meats surrounded by vegetables and aromatic spices. This recipe proves that you don’t have to use dairy to get a creamy sauce. If you like it even thicker, just increase the amount of roux – a one tablespoon oil to two tablespoons flour ratio works well. And if you aren’t dairy free, you can substitute one or two of the cups of chicken stock with your favorite milk. I’ve used goat milk in the preparation shown here.

3 tarragon stems plus 1 T leaves, or 2 tsp. dried tarragon

2 T olive oil

4 T gluten-free flour

4 c. chicken stock (or 2 c. chicken stock and 2 c. milk/milk substitute as noted above)

salt and pepper

2-3 skinless chicken breasts

1/4 lb. baby carrots, peeled and cut into smaller pieces

Tie the tarragon stems in a bundle. In a large pot, heat the oil. Add the flour, whisking continuously to form a roux. Let roux brown very slightly – do not burn. Add the stock in a continuous stream, whisking continuously so no lumps form. Add the stem bundle and bring to a boil (or add dried tarragon instead). Gently season with salt and pepper. Add the chicken and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally until the breasts are cooked through, about 20 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a platter and cover to keep warm.

Simmer the sauce until it is reduced to desired thickness. Discard the tarragon stems. Add the carrots and tarragon leaves and cook until tender, just a few minutes. Return the chicken to the sauce and simmer for five minutes, or until heated through. Serve in bowls with rice or potatoes.

Posted by Andrea & filed under Poultry. This post has one comment.