I officially have a new favorite chicken dish! This saucy and succulent, 30 minute, gluten-free Leek and Mushroom Chicken Skillet is knocking it out of the park. Ben declared it to be the best thing I’ve ever made. Yes, yes, and more YES!
Chicken breasts are dredged in simply seasoned gluten-free or all-purpose flour the seared until golden brown and crisp. Sliced leeks, mushrooms, garlic, and fresh tarragon are sauteed in the same skillet then chicken broth and a touch of fresh lemon juice are added to make a quick pan sauce that’s so mouthwatering you’ll be fighting each other for the last spoonful.
I’m flagging this dish as being perfect for date night (minus the spoon fight.) Super quick, very little cleanup, elegant, mouthwatering, pairs perfectly with a glass of Cab…I’m just saying! I made this for testing purposes last week and Ben and I both couldn’t wait to have it again.
The light flour coating not only gives this chicken a slight yet satisfying crunch but it also helps thicken the pan sauce that’s spiked with the flavors of fresh leeks and tarragon. I didn’t get into cooking with fresh herbs like thyme, tarragon, sage, and rosemary until, oh, maybe 2-3 years ago, but they add so much flavor! Tarragon is light, fresh, and pairs perfectly with the mushrooms and leeks, which you will just LOVE in this dish. I cannot sing it’s praises enough.
How to Make Leek and Mushroom Chicken Skillet
Start by dredging 2 chicken breasts (about 1lb) that have been pounded thin in a mixture of 1/4 cup gluten-free flour seasoned HEAVILY with salt and pepper. I’m talking like a teaspoon each. Add the chicken to a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat with 1 Tablespoon butter and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil (the butter’s for flavor and the oil is so it doesn’t burn,) then saute until golden brown on both sides, 2-3 minutes a side.
The chicken doesn’t need to be fully cooked at this point, just crisp and golden brown. Remove the chicken to a plate then set aside.
Meanwhile, trim 2 leeks. Leeks might look intimidating but they’re easier to prep than an onion. Just slice the roots and dark green parts off, then thinly slice. That’s it! Leeks have a great, mild onion flavor.
To the same skillet add 1 Tablespoon butter, the leeks, 6oz sliced mushrooms, and 1 small shallot or 1/4 small onion that’s been minced. Season with salt and pepper then saute until the mushrooms are golden brown and tender, 5 minutes. Add 1 clove minced garlic then saute for 1 more minute.
Add 1 cup chicken broth and 1 packed Tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon then nestle the chicken breasts into the sauce and simmer until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is slightly reduced, 3-4 minutes.
Finally, squeeze in the juice of 1/2 lemon (start with a little – you can always add more) then stir and add salt and pepper if necessary.
Plate the chicken then pile on the leeks and mushrooms, and drizzle on lots of that savory sauce!
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Leek and Mushroom Chicken Skillet
Description
Leek and Mushroom Chicken Skillet is an elegant, 30 minute gluten-free recipe that's perfect for date night, and made in just 1 skillet!
Ingredients
- 1lb chicken breasts, pounded thin
- 1/4 cup gluten-free or all-purpose flour
- salt and pepper
- 2 Tablespoons butter, divided
- drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
- 6oz sliced mushrooms
- 2 leeks, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced
- 1 small shallot or 1/4 small onion, minced
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 packed Tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
- juice from 1/2 small lemon
Directions
- Add 1 Tablespoon butter and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil to a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat (oil will keep butter from burning.) Mix flour and lots of salt and pepper in a shallow dish then dredge chicken breasts and add to skillet. Saute until golden brown on both sides, 2-3 minutes a side. Chicken does not have to be completely cooked through. Remove to a plate then set aside.
- Add remaining tablespoon butter to skillet then add mushrooms, leeks, and shallot, season with salt and pepper, then saute until mushrooms are golden brown and tender, 5 minutes. Add garlic then saute for one more minute. Add chicken broth and tarragon then nestle chicken back into skillet and simmer until sauce has thickened and reduced, and chicken is cooked through, 3-4 minutes. Squeeze a bit of lemon juice over the skillet then stir to combine. Add more salt and pepper if necessary then serve.
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
My husband HATES mushrooms, so when he was away on a trip, I made this and LOVED it!! This was a few years ago. Tonight he was actually open to trying it, so I’m really excited to see what he thinks! Will update afterwards. Only change I made last time is that I brine and thin slice my chicken, which is how I’ll do it again. I just love what brining does to chicken breast, and thin slicing works great for us because we usually don’t eat a whole breast each, so it accomplishes the right shape while cutting the portion in half.
I’ll be waiting on pins and needles to hear, Bethany!! Hope it’s a hit with him this time around!
This was delicious! My whole family enjoyed it! I’ve never cooked with fresh tarragon before, thank you for this recipe!
Isn’t it great?! Cooking with fresh herbs is a little nerve wracking, because they can be so expensive, but I really find tarragon to be so lovely. Here’s another recipe using it if you’d like to explore! https://iowagirleats.com/california-cobb-salad-with-tarragon-vinaigrette/
Fantastic flavor, easy prep to delicious. Flavorful juicy chicken, yummy leek medley, tarragon is a favorite surprise to the chicken vegetable dish. Healthy and easy with a full portion to enjoy.
Love, love , love it! My husband reminded me to print the recipe this morning. Looking forward to visiting your site a lot more often,
I made this and the combination of flavors are amazing. Simple but still impressive. I dredged the chicken in regular flour so did not do it gluten free and it still completely works. The only change I had to do was to let the sauce at the end reduce more than ca. 3 minutes. I found it took about 10 minutes for it to reduce properly and I had to take out the chicken after about 5 minutes so it would not overcook. Also I did not use 1 tablespoon fresh tarragon because I did not have it so I used 1 teaspoon of dried, which worked perfectly. I will definitely been making it again (and again)! Thank you
This was great, with a few adjustments. I used Chicken Thighs, lightly pounded. All procedures were as you wrote except, when I cook the protein, in the same pan as the sauce, I NEVER wipe out the pan between rounds.. I sweated the leaks and mushrooms then deg lazed the pan with the wine . We added chopped garlic , three cloves, after the wine. This was our best sauce of 2020 so far. We experiment making about about 3 different sauces a week. This is a keeper.Al SpranzoSpranzo HomesteadColchester CT(860) 306-8473
This recipe looks amazing, I don’t love tarragon, any suggestions for a substitute?
The recipe was tasty but the cooking times were WAY off. Just make sure to give your self ALOT more time to cook the chicken breast through or cut the breast in 1/2
Hi Gretchen! I use 7-8oz chicken breasts which are fairly small so you’d need to adjust your cooking time if yours are bigger then that.
This recipe is amazing. I tripled the recipe and made it at the station for six firemen last weekend. I couldn’t find tarragon anywhere at finally settled on using oregano instead. They were very skeptical about leeks, but they all ended up loving it and getting seconds. I skipped the asparagus and served it with quinoa cooked in chicken stock instead, since they are scared of anything green. Looking forward to making this again!
totally delish!!!
Yummy! I needed something for a leftover leek and some mushrooms and this was easy and delicious. I just realized I forgot to add the garlic…it was very good anyway. I served with white rice and french green beans.
This just made me so hungry! I think it’s going to be dinner tonight and lunch for the next few days. Keep cooking!
I made this for dinner tonight and my husband and I loved it! I was eating the sauce out of the pan with a spoon. Maybe you can adapt this into a soup recipe?!? Lol!
Hahaha, I know the feeling!! So glad you liked it! :)
This looks soooo good! And it’s dairy free (if I omit the butter). I love mushrooms. Now to convince the rest of the family that it sounds good…
made your leek, mushroom, tarragon, and chicken recipe today. My 12 yr old daughter and I loved it. Thanks for sharing.
I find it truly amazing that I have made this dish for close to 20 years thinking all along it was original with ME!!!I guess it is true that great minds think alike!
[…] for dinner, and I’ve got chicken breasts thawing in the fridge, 80% of the time I’ll make Leek and Mushroom Chicken Skillet with them. I pick leeks and mushrooms up at the store every week in anticipation of making this […]
This was delicious! Thanks for helping me expand my vegetable horizons with leeks. I’ve never had them before. I am definitely making this again.
[…] to me (in addition to the roses) was making me a nice dinner! He wound up making leek and mushroom chicken with creamed kale on the […]
Please! post the recipe for the breakfast hash brown crust pizza your husband made. I Must try his version!
Thanks so much~