Tarragon Mustard Chicken Skewers. Dijon mustard, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, tarragon and honey are all you need to make an incredibly flavorful chicken marinade.
This recipe for Tarragon Mustard Chicken Skewers has also been featured on Serious Eats.
Given that Mike The Housemate (as I've now decided he should be named) winces in disgust at the mere mention of mustard, I know that the condiment can be... ah, a little divisive to say the least. James and I, on the other hand, slather everything in the stuff. Pretzels, ham sandwiches, roasted potatoes, hot dogs, you name it. Granted, we're not really into the florescent yellow kind, but a great dijon or spicy brown? Oh, we're down with that.
In fact, one of the first meals that I ever cooked for James (long before we ever dated, back when we were just friends) was a pretzel and mustard-coated chicken recipe. He requested it, he loved it, he fell in love with me. You know, with some unimportant details and an itty-bitty jump in time in-between.
So suffice to say, we're mustard people, and we've got the teetering-on-obsessive collection of mustards in our fridge to prove it.
And if you're a mustard person, too, you might already know that one of the best ways to really elevate the flavors in a mustard-based recipe is to throw in a little tarragon. It makes everything taste fancy, regardless of the amount of effort the recipe really requires.
Now, licorice is one thing that makes me wince in disgust, so I know that, logically, I shouldn't like tarragon. After all, that's the flavor that a lot of people compare it to. But to me, it's more like a mix between fennel and basil-- slightly sweet, bright, delicate, and perfumey. And it's the perfect way to balance the sharpness of a good dijon mustard.
Tarragon isn't extremely popular in the United States, but in France, it's a favorite. It's actually called "The King of Herbs" and is one of the key ingredients in French Bernaise Sauce. And one of the french classics is a chicken with a sauce of mustard, tarragon, and white wine.
So I took a note out of their book and decided to create my own (American) twist on the recipe by making Tarragon Mustard Chicken Skewers just in time for Labor Day Weekend grilling. I marinate the chicken in a simple mixture of common pantry ingredients and fresh herbs, then throw the skewers on the grill for a seriously flavorful cookout-worthy dish that requires nearly no effort.
These Tarragon Mustard Chicken Skewers are so delicious, you guys. If you're looking to grill this weekend, you've absolutely got to make them. They're a welcome departure from the "all things bathed in barbecue sauce" theme of most summer holidays, and they're amazing when served with classic sides or even Grilled Potato Wedge Fries! I mean, Mike The Housemate won't eat the skewers, but James and I definitely were happy to have the extras to eat ourselves.
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Tarragon Mustard Chicken Skewers
- Total Time: 27 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Ingredients
- Ingredients
- ¼ cup fresh tarragon leaves, finely chopped
- ¼ cup Dijon mustard
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice, plus lemon halves for grilling and serving alongside
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 medium cloves garlic, minced
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 1 ½-inch chunks
Instructions
- If using bamboo skewers, soak skewers in water for at least 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together tarragon, mustard, lemon juice, honey, olive oil, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Toss the chicken in the marinade until fully coated, then cover and refrigerate for at least 1 and up to 4 hours.
- Light one chimney full of charcoal. When all the charcoal is lit and covered with gray ash, pour out and spread the coals evenly over half of coal grate. Alternatively, set half the burners of a gas grill to high heat. Set cooking grate in place, cover grill, and allow to preheat for 5 minutes. Clean and oil the grilling grate.
- Remove chicken from marinade and thread onto skewers. Discard the marinade.
- Grill skewers over high heat until chicken has cooked through, about 3 minutes on each side (12 minutes total). If skewers threaten to burn, move them to the cooler side of the grill to finish cooking. Meanwhile, grill the lemon halves, cut side down, until lightly charred. Transfer chicken skewers to a platter and serve warm with the grilled lemons.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 12 mins
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