Chicken Tenders and Peas with Tarragon Cream Sauce

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Chicken Tenders and Peas with Tarragon Cream Sauce is a classic, simple French dish. You can make this dish with chicken breasts but since I had chicken tenders on hand, that is what I used. This dish relies on fresh tarragon for all it’s flavor. Simple, quality ingredients are the key here.

You could use white wine instead of the vermouth but personally, I think the vermouth adds a ton of flavor. It is perfect paired with tarragon. If you aren’t familiar with tarragon, it has the slightest licorice flavor. It is subtle but distinct and once you’ve had it, you’ll always remember the taste.

This dish can be served with pasta (orzo is a favorite) or my roasted rosemary and garlic baby potatoes. Simply steamed broccoli or asparagus would be perfect with this. Both the starch and veggie will soak up that cream sauce and make one delicious meal. While peas aren’t a traditional addition to the dish, I like them as a pop of color and an additional vegetable.

The whole dish comes together very quickly so it is perfect for a mid-week meal. But this is certainly elegant enough for company… I’d probably just use chicken breasts rather than tenders. The choice is yours.

To get started, pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Sprinkle chicken salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Heat a large skillet or cast iron skillet on the stove and melt the butter with olive oil in the pan. When really hot, place the chicken tenders in the pan and cook until golden brown (5-8 minutes) Flip the chicken over and cook another 3-5 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pan and place on a plate. Cover with foil to keep warm.

Keep the pan over a medium high heat. Add vermouth to pan juices in saucepan and scrape up any bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Add the chopped shallots and boil until slightly reduced, about 3 minutes. Add the heavy cream and the chopped tarragon and simmer until mixture thickens to sauce consistency, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Season sauce with salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.

Stir in the peas and heat through. Add back the chicken into the sauce and let the sauce heat the chicken.

Divide the chicken and sauce between two plates. Spoon half of the sauce on a plate and top with half the chicken tenders and peas. I like to serve this dish with cooked orzo but rice or the potato of your choice also works. Garnish with fresh tarragon leaves.