This delicious tarragon and mustard chicken is a company-worthy dish that’s also easy enough to enjoy at home any time!

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Maille. As always, all opinions are my own. Thanks for supporting brands that support Seasons and Suppers.

cornichon mustard chicken in pan

So you may be looking at the photo above and thinking “Girl, is that pickles in your chicken?” Why, yes, it is indeed! But not just any pickle would be allowed in this chicken recipe. This lovely dish is made with French cornichons, featuring a new cornichon variety that La Maison Maille recently introduced to Canada – Caramelised Onion. It’s the perfect addition to Fall recipes and dishes.

If you are not familiar with French cornichons. they are smaller and crunchier than dill pickles, with a distinctive acidity that brings a unique and slightly sour taste to dishes (as opposed to the sweet taste of typical North American gherkins).

While we often think of these lovely cornichons as a great addition to a relish tray, they are a wonderful addition to a host of dishes you’re already making in your kitchens. You can up the ante of your everyday meals by incorporating these bite-size pickles into salads (they are a great addition to potato salads!), cocktails and tapas, chopping them into tartare to serve with your fish or tuck them in to Cuban or other sandwiches. Of course, you can also eat them on their own as a savoury, low calorie snack-on-the-go.

You can learn more about Maille cornichons, explore all the wonderful Maille products and find recipes, tips and more inspiration at the Maille website.

Look for these new Caramelised Onion Cornichons new to Canadian grocery stores now!

So back to this dish. Yes, this may be one of those dishes where you may need to suspend any conventional flavour notions and just fast forward to the point where you will be licking this sauce off the plate :) This is a memorable sauce – a beautiful marriage of the unique acidity and flavour of the Caramelised Onion Cornichons, Maille’s lovely A L’Ancienne Whole Grain Mustard, the distinctively French flavour of fresh tarragon and finally, a bit of a nod to Fall, with a touch of apple cider. All this deliciousness, and it’s ready in less than 45 minutes! Win. Win.

If you’re wondering about sides, I think this sauce pairs perfectly with oven-roasted potatoes and maybe some green beans or asparagus.

Cornichon, Tarragon & Mustard Chicken

cornichon mustard chicken in pan

Get the Recipe: Cornichon, Tarragon & Mustard Chicken

Delicious, quick and easy dish, with the classic French flavours of cornichons, grainy mustard and tarragon, with a bit of apple cider, as well.
5 stars from 3 ratings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Yield: 4 people

Ingredients

  • 6 chicken thighs, bone-in/skin-on
  • Oil, for browning
  • 1/3 cup shallots, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 cup cornichons
  • 2 Tbsp wholegrain mustard
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup apple cider, (could substitute apple juice)
  • 2 Tbsp fresh tarragon, (or 2 tsp. dried tarragon)
  • 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream, 35%
  • 1 tsp cornstarch, (increase to 2 tsp. if using a lighter cream)
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 375 F.
  • Heat oil in a skillet on the stove-top over medium-high heat. Pat chicken dry, then season with salt and pepper. Add chicken to hot pan, skin side down and cook until the skin is quite golden, about 5-8 minutes. Flip chicken over and cook the other side for another 3-4 minutes. Remove chicken to a baking sheet and place in the preheated 375 oven for 20 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, prepare the sauce: Remove all but just a tiny bit of the oil from the skillet used to cook the chicken. Place skillet over medium heat on the stove-top. Add the shallots and saute for about 2 minutes, or until lightly browned. Add the chopped cornichons, mustard, chicken broth, apple cider and tarragon. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat slightly and simmer about 3 minutes. Turn heat off under sauce until chicken is almost done.
  • When chicken is almost done in the oven, turn the heat back on to medium under the sauce. Bring sauce to a simmer. Mix heavy cream with cornstarch until smooth. Add cream mixture to sauce. Stir to combine well. Add chicken from oven. Simmer until sauce is reduced and thickened, about 10 minutes. Taste. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Cuisine: American, Canadian
Course: Main Course
Author: Jennifer
Calories: 451kcal, Carbohydrates: 6g, Protein: 28g, Fat: 34g, Saturated Fat: 11g, Cholesterol: 186mg, Sodium: 672mg, Potassium: 472mg, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 425IU, Vitamin C: 4.9mg, Calcium: 41mg, Iron: 1.7mg
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