Creamy Chicken with Tarragon & Crème Fraîche
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Total: 40-45 mins
A creamy chicken braise with a bit of French flair from a rich, tangy crème fraîche sauce stirred with ainseedy tarragon, soft butter beans and tender French beans, served with a side of nutty roast new potatoes. Bon appétit!
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807 kcal
(per portion)
Ingredients you'll need
  • 1000g new potatoes
  • 500g diced chicken leg
  • 2 onion
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 800g tin of butter beans
  • 2 tbsp wholegrain mustard
  • 2 chicken stock cube
  • 400g French beans
  • A handful of tarragon, leaves only
  • 1 x 200g crème fraîche
From your kitchen
  • 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
  • Sea salt
  • Freshly ground pepper
  • 250ml boiling water
You'll need
  • Baking tray
  • Medium pan with lid
  • Measuring jug
Step by step this way
  • 1.

    Heat your oven to 200°C/Fan 180°C/Gas 6. Fill and boil your kettle. Scrub the potatoes and halve or quarter them so they’re all roughly the same size. Scatter them onto a baking tray, drizzle with 1/2 tbsp olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Toss to mix, then slide into the oven and roast for 35-40 mins till golden and crisp.

  • 2.

    While the new potatoes roast, put a medium-sized pan on a medium heat and add ½ tbsp olive oil. Add the diced chicken leg and fry for 5-6 mins, turning once or twice, till golden all over.

  • 3.

    While the chicken fries, peel and finely chop the onion. Peel and grate or crush the garlic.

  • 4.

    Lift the golden brown chicken out of the pan and set aside on a plate. Add another ½ tbsp oil to the pan and add the onion. Season with a little salt and pepper. Fry, stirring often, for 5 mins till the onion starts to look glossy.

  • 5.

    Drain the butter beans and rinse them. Stir the garlic into the onion. Cook and stir for 1 min. Tip in the butter beans and the chicken, adding any juices from the plate. Stir in 1 tbsp mustard and crumble in the stock cube. Pour in 250ml boiling water, stir to mix, then cover and bring to the boil. Once it’s bubbling, turn the heat down a little and simmer for 10 mins.

  • 6.

    Trim the woody ends off the French beans and halve them widthways. Pick the leaves off the tarragon sprigs and roughly chop the leaves.

  • 7.

    When the chicken has cooked for 10 mins, stir in the French beans and simmer for 3 mins. Turn the heat down to very low. Then stir in most of the tarragon and half the pot of crème fraîche. Gently warm for 1-2 mins (keeping the heat low helps to stop the crème fraîche form splitting, but if it does split, don't worry. It'll still taste good). Taste and add a pinch more salt or pepper if you think it needs it.

  • 8.

    Spoon the creamy braised chicken and beans into 2 warm shallow bowls and serve with the roast new potatoes on the side. Garnish with the remaining tarragon.

  • Tip

    Leftover crème fraîche tip

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