Chicken and tarragon is a beautifully fragrant combination, and it always works – and this chicken and tarragon pie is a creamy delight.
This simple puff pastry lidded pie is very easy and fairly quick to make (compared to other pies), but doesn’t fail to impress on taste. And whose mouth doesn’t water when a golden crusted pie is brought to the table?
Make this instead of a traditional roast chicken dinner and I guarantee there will be smiles all round.
Why chicken and tarragon work so well together
Chicken and tarragon is one of those classic flavour combinations that just works. It’s used widely in French cooking, where fresh tarragon is often paired with chicken in creamy sauces or simple pan dishes.
Tarragon has a delicate, slightly aniseed flavour that brings brightness to rich dishes. When it’s added to a creamy sauce, like the one in this pie, it cuts through the richness beautifully and gives the whole dish a lovely fragrant lift.
It’s also a herb that works particularly well with chicken because the flavour is strong enough to be noticeable, but not so strong that it overwhelms the meat. Instead, it adds a subtle herbal warmth that makes the dish feel comforting and a little bit special at the same time.
If you enjoy this flavour combination, you might also like my beetroot and tarragon pie, which uses the same aromatic herb in a rich vegetarian filling.
Ingredients, Substitutions and Variations
- Onion – to kick off the flavour in the pie. Use a white or yellow onion.
- Butter – this recipe is best cooked in butter. However, you can use olive oil if you like.
- Smoked bacon – bacon lardons work well here too. Smoked is better than unsmoked for the flavour.
- Chicken thigh – I used chicken thigh here because the meat holds up really well in recipes like this, and it’s tastier than chicken breast. However, you can use chicken breast. You could also use leftover roast chicken, if you have some.
- Plain flour – to thicken the sauce.
- White wine – optional.
- Chicken stock – or use 500ml water and a good chicken stock cube.
- Button mushrooms and green beans – you could also add frozen peas or broccoli.
- Cream – use double or heavy cream if you can.
- Tarragon – for that incredible, slightly aniseed flavour. You could use oregano instead, but then it wouldn’t be a chicken and tarragon pie!
- Puff pastry – shop bought puff pastry is easy and simple to use. You could also make your own.
Top Tips
- Don’t overcook your chicken The problem with most chicken pies is tough chicken. That happens when you overcook it. The small chunks of chicken will get plenty of cooking time, so follow the instructions carefully.
- Make ahead You can make up to the point where you would add the pastry (don’t add the pastry), then put in the fridge for 72 hours or freeze for up to three months. Defrost thoroughly before adding your pastry top and cooking as normal.
- Double it up This is a great recipe for feeding a crowd. Just double it up (or even triple it!)
Love this pie? You’re also sure to enjoy the flavours of my Chicken Stroganoff Pie and Coq au Vin (Chicken and Wine) Pie.
Creamy Chicken and Tarragon Pie
Ingredients
- 1 onion
- Small knob of butter
- 3 rashers smoked bacon
- 300 grams chicken thigh de-boned
- 2 tablespoons plain flour
- 1 large glass white wine
- 500 ml chicken stock
- 200 grams button mushrooms
- 200 grams green beans
- 150 ml double cream
- Large bunch of tarragon
- 1 sheet shop bought puff pastry
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 160 degrees Celsius.
- Chop the bacon and peel and chop the onion and throw into a large pan with the butter. Allow to cook for about 5 mins, until the bacon is starting to crisp.
- Chop the chicken into bitesize pieces and add to the pan. Cook for another 30 secs – no longer! Don’t fall into the trap of worrying the chicken will be underdone, it will get plenty of cooking.
- Stir in the plain flour, then tip in the wine and stir until it has thickened, then gradually add the stock.
- Once all of the stock has been stirred in, add the button mushrooms (whole) and green beans (halfed). Pop a lid on the pan and allow to simmer for 10 mins.
- Stir in the cream and chopped tarragon, season with salt and plenty of black pepper, then transfer to an oven proof dish (if the one you’re using isn’t suitable for use in the oven) and top with the sheet of pastry. Pinch the edges, then pierce the centre with a knife.
- Oven cook at 160 degrees until the pastry has puffed up and is golden brown – around 25-30 mins.
- Serve with garden peas on the side – delicious!
More delicious pie recipes:
- Chilli Pie
- Chicken Stroganoff Pie
- Leftover Ham Pie
- Coq au Vin Pie
- Leftover Lamb Shepherds Pie
- Leftover Beef Cottage Pie
- Spinach and Feta Filo Pie
- Delicious Feta and Dill Pie
- Sausage and Hash Brown Pie
