A quick simple dish and best made using leftover chicken. One pot so there is no mess to clean up after, what more could you ask for. The taste of tarragon can dived crowds so we suggest when you first make this dish you air on the side of caution when adding the tarragon.
We think that pre cooked chicken works best in this dish because it just absorbs all the flavours.
Creamy Chicken Peas and Rice
Equipment
Ingredients
- 300 g leftover chicken (cooked) 100 to 150g per person bite size pieces
- 1 medium onion diced
- 200 g cooked rice packet rice
- 50 ml double cream (heavy cream)
- 50 g frozen peas
- olive oil
- 1 tsp tarragon fresh or dried
Instructions
- Microwave the rice per packet instructions, allow to cool. BEST results are when the rice is cool and dry, 1 hour before cooking the dish
- place the frying pan on the hob on a medium heat
- dice the onion and then add to the preheated frying pan the olive oil and the onions (season)
- sauté the onions until they start to become translucent (around 4/5 minutes, it depends on the heat)
- now add the chicken pieces and heat through for around 3/4 minutes
- next add the cooked rice and frozen peas to the frying pan and cook for about 3 minutes
- add the cream and the tarragon, cook until the cream is heated through and it becomes a little thicker in consistency
- Taste the dish and season if necessary, do note that increasing the salt intensifies the tarragon flavour
Notes
Intense Flavour
If you want to intensify the anise flavour then flambe the  onions & chicken in Pernod before adding the other ingredientsÂTarragonÂ
Fresh tarragon use towards the end of cooking Dried tarragon can be added closer to the start of cooking but be aware it can be overpoweringÂPro Tip
If you add some of the roasting tin juices when sautéing the onions it will intensify the chicken flavourÂNutrition
Alternative Ingredients
- Chicken > Turkey, or for an indulgent luxury prawns
- Peas > Courgette, frozen broccoli, sliced green beans, asparagus (stalks), edamame beans & snap peas
- Plain rice > Basmati rice, the base of the rice needs to be neutral because the tarragon should just give it a subtle flavour
- Tarragon > fennel seeds, caraway seeds
The below version was made without rice and onions. It was just the chicken, cream and tarragon with the addition of sautéed fennel & smoked pancetta
Tarragon tastes like a combination of liquorice, anise, and sweet vanilla
You can substitute tarragon with fennel which has a similar flavour profile
Happiest in the kitchen feeding the 3 children who are constantly hungry. Lucky enough to have worked in a Pro kitchen on a voluntary basis to learn the tricks of the trade.. Buckinghams The restaurant with one Table. With Chef Nick Buckingham.(RIP)
Level 2 Certificate in Understanding Nutrition and Health (RQF) Â Awarded On: 20/06/24. Certificate Number: 362-10611678-531300-20240620. Training Provider: The Skills NetworkÂ