Description
This Tarragon Chicken Bake is a comforting and flavorful dish featuring golden seared chicken thighs simmered in a creamy tarragon sauce with asparagus and pancetta. Topped with tender baked potatoes and parmesan, it’s a hearty oven-baked meal perfect for a satisfying dinner.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Chicken and Vegetables
- 600g / 1.3lb boneless skinless Chicken Thighs, diced into bite-sized pieces
- 200g / 7oz Asparagus, woody ends removed, sliced into 4cm / 1.5" chunks
- 3 Shallots, finely diced
- 2 cloves of Garlic, finely diced
- 850g / 1.9lb Baking Potatoes, diced into small cubes (approx 2 large potatoes)
Meat and Dairy
- 100g / 3.5oz diced Pancetta
- 2.5 tbsp / 37.5g Unsalted Butter
- 120g / 1/2 cup full fat Creme Fraiche, at room temperature
- 2-3 tbsp Parmesan, for topping
Sauce and Seasoning
- 3 tbsp Plain Flour
- 480ml / 2 cups Chicken Stock (use low-salt if sensitive to salt)
- 1 tbsp finely diced Fresh Tarragon, plus a pinch more to serve
- Olive Oil, as needed
- Salt & Pepper, as needed
Instructions
- Prepare and fry chicken: Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Season the diced chicken thighs with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Add the chicken pieces spaced out in the pan and fry for about 3-4 minutes on each side until they develop a golden crust and are nearly cooked through. Remove the chicken and set aside, leaving any excess fat in the pan.
- Cook asparagus: Add the asparagus pieces to the same pan and fry for 3-4 minutes until they start to soften and gain some color. Remove and place in a separate bowl. Reduce heat to medium.
- Cook pancetta and aromatics: Add diced pancetta to the pan and fry until it crisps and releases fat. Then add shallots and fry until soft and golden. Add garlic and cook for one more minute. Melt in the butter.
- Make roux and sauce: Stir in the flour to the butter and pancetta mixture to form a roux. Gradually whisk in the chicken stock to avoid lumps. Then stir in creme fraiche and fresh tarragon. Add the cooked chicken back to the pan along with any resting juices. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 7-8 minutes, stirring frequently until the sauce thickens.
- Preheat oven: Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).
- Combine asparagus and sauce: Stir the asparagus through the thickened sauce. Pour the entire mixture into a baking dish. Let it cool slightly as you prepare the potatoes.
- Bake potatoes: Spread the diced potatoes on a large greaseproof baking tray. Toss with about 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper. Bake in the oven for 18-20 minutes until tender but not crispy.
- Assemble and bake: Scatter the partially baked potatoes evenly over the chicken filling, pressing down gently to fill gaps. Sprinkle parmesan over the top. Bake for another 18-20 minutes in the oven until the potatoes are crispy and the sauce is bubbling. Check halfway and gently press down any potatoes that seem to be charring too quickly.
- Garnish and serve: Sprinkle a pinch more fresh tarragon on top before serving. Enjoy warm.
Notes
- Use chicken thighs instead of breast to avoid dryness; thighs hold up better during frying, simmering, and baking.
- Thin asparagus works best to keep a nice al dente texture after baking; thick asparagus may need additional simmering with chicken.
- Ensure creme fraiche is full fat and at room temperature to prevent curdling in the sauce.
- Tarragon adds a distinctive herbal flavor that complements chicken and cream sauces perfectly; it’s commonly available in supermarkets.
- Nutritional values are based on dividing the whole recipe into 5 servings assuming 1.5 tbsp oil is used.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approximate)
- Calories: 560 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 32 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 33 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 140 mg
