Creamy Dairy Free Tarragon Chicken
Creamy Dairy Free Tarragon Chicken is the perfect example of how being dairy free does not mean that you need to sacrifice taste. Crispy chicken thighs cooked in a creamy mushroom sauce with a hint of lemon, grainy dijon, and then finished with a healthy dose of fresh tarragon takes your average chicken dinner to the next level. Simple enough to make after a long day at work but also great for impressing guests!
This recipe uses coconut cream instead of heavy cream, making this dish deliciously dairy free but yet still very rich and creamy. To achieve the ultimate thick creaminess in this dish make sure to only use coconut cream from the can and not any coconut water/liquid. You can make sure you are getting only coconut cream by placing your can of coconut milk in the fridge ahead of time, for about 30-60 minutes. Upon opening it use a spoon to scoop off just the top thick, creamy layer.
As private chef’s, and nutritionists, we highly recommend using a good grainy dijon mustard in this recipe instead of a regular dijon mustard as it adds a nice texture to this dish. You can find grainy dijon in most grocery stores in the condiment aisle.
This recipe can easily be added to your weekly meal prep and pairs perfectly with cozy, rainy Vancouver winter days.
Dairy Free Creamy Tarragon Chicken
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Total time: 40 minutes
Makes 4 servings.
Ingredients
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6-8 pieces of Chicken Thighs, you can also substitute chicken see chef notes
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6 oz of Cremini Mushrooms sliced
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4 Shallots chopped
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2 cloves Garlic minced
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Juice from 1 Lemon
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1 tbsp Grainy Dijon Mustard
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Coconut Cream from 1 can of coconut milk
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Handful of fresh Tarragon Leaves
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Salt and Pepper to taste
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Avocado Oil
Directions
Step 1
Rinse your chicken thighs in cold water, place on a plate and pat dry with a paper towel. Sprinkle chicken thighs with salt and pepper to taste.
Step 2
Heat a large skillet over medium. Add avocado oil and then place in the chicken thighs. Browning the chicken thighs for about 2-3 minutes on each side before removing and placing to the side.
Step 3
Add in your sliced mushrooms and saute for about 5-7 minutes, or until browned then add in shallots. Continue to saute for 2-3 minutes or until the shallots have become translucent before adding the garlic in. Saute the garlic for 30 seconds, until it has become fragrant. Add in dijon, lemon juice and coconut cream, stirring until combined into a thick sauce.
Step 4
Place your browned chicken thighs back into the skillet, lower heat to a low simmer and cook with lid on for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until chicken thighs are cooked through (an internal temperature is 165F). Garnish with fresh tarragon and serve immediately.
Recipe notes: If you are using chicken breast instead of chicken thighs you will still follow the basic recipe but you will need to increase browning time to 4-5 minutes before removing and placing aside. Your final cook/simmer time will also be more towards 30-35 minutes.
This dish goes well over pasta, rice, mashed/roasted potatoes or pureed cauliflower. Pair with a green vegetable of your liking (we love broccoli) and you are good to go!
This recipe was created by nutritionist and blogger Danielle from Thyme to Nourish, you can check out more of her recipes here.
