Leek and Mushroom Chicken Skillet is an elegant, 30 minute dinner recipe that's perfect for date night or any day of the week. Quick, easy and made in just 1 skillet.
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. My husband declared it to be the best thing I’ve ever made.
Yes, yes, and more YES!
Chicken breasts are dredged in simply seasoned flour then seared until golden brown. Sliced leeks, mushrooms, garlic, and fresh tarragon are sauted 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.
The light flour coating not only gives this chicken a nice crust but it also helps thicken the pan sauce that’s spiked with the flavors of fresh leeks and tarragon. 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.
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…just saying!
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.
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 easy to prep and have a great, mild onion flavor.
Slice the roots and dark green parts off, then thinly slice. That’s it!
To the skillet add 1 Tablespoon butter, the leeks, 8oz 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, 6 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!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup gluten free flour
- salt and pepper
- 2 Tablespoons butter, divided
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 chicken breasts, ~1lb, pounded to an even thickness
- 8 oz mushrooms, sliced
- 2 leeks, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced
- 1 small shallot or 1/4 small onion, minced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 packed Tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
- 1/2 lemon
Directions
- Add the flour to a shallow dish then season with salt and pepper and stir to combine. Dredge the chicken breasts in the seasoned flour then set aside.
- Add 1 Tablespoon butter and the extra virgin olive oil to a large, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Once the butter has melted, add the chicken breasts then saute until golden brown on each sides, 2-3 minutes per side — the chicken does not need to be completely cooked through at this point. Transfer the chicken to a plate then set aside.
- Add the remaining Tablespoon butter to the skillet then, once melted, add the mushrooms, leeks, and shallots or onions. Season with salt and pepper then saute until the mushrooms are golden brown and tender, 5 minutes. Add the garlic then saute for one more minute.
- Add the chicken broth and tarragon into the skillet then use a spatula to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom. Nestle the chicken into the skillet then simmer until the sauce has thickened and reduced slightly, and the chicken is cooked through, ~5 minutes. Squeeze a bit of lemon juice into the skillet then stir to combine. Taste then add more salt and pepper if necessary and then scoop onto plates and serve.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
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 Spranzo
Spranzo Homestead
Colchester 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!