French Cuisine
Creamy Dijon Mustard Chicken
This elegant and satisfying dish is a quintessential example of French home cooking, where a well-crafted sauce transforms humble meat into a culinary masterpiece. Tender chicken fillets are first quickly seared to lock in their natural juices, then gently simmered in a velvety sauce. The base combines crisp dry white wine, heavy cream, and sharp Dijon mustard, which balances the richness with a pleasant tang and a subtle warmth. Featuring a deep, creamy flavor with a sophisticated wine undertone, this recipe is perfect for an effortless French bistro-style dinner at home.
Dishday
Recipe overview
- Total time
- 30 min
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cooking
- 20 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Cuisine
- French Cuisine
Nutrition
per serving
- Calories
- 380 kcal
- Protein
- 32 g
- Fat
- 22 g
- Carbs
- 4 g
- Fiber
- 0.5 g
Step by step
Method
- 01
Wash and dry the chicken fillets, then cut them into uniform…
Wash and dry the chicken fillets, then cut them into uniform bite-sized pieces. Peel and finely mince the garlic cloves.
- 02
Heat the olive oil in a deep skillet over medium-high heat
Heat the olive oil in a deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken chunks in a single layer and sear for 5–7 minutes, turning occasionally, until lightly golden. Toss in the minced garlic for the last 2 minutes.
- 03
Pour in the dry white wine, scraping up all the savory browne…
Pour in the dry white wine, scraping up all the savory browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan to enrich the sauce. Let the wine simmer rapidly for 3 minutes to burn off the alcohol.
- 04
Reduce the heat to low
Reduce the heat to low. Stir in both smooth and whole-grain Dijon mustards, pour in the heavy cream, and season with salt, pepper, and fresh thyme leaves, mixing until uniform.
- 05
Cover and simmer gently for 8–10 minutes until the chicken is…
Cover and simmer gently for 8–10 minutes until the chicken is tender and cooked through, and the cream sauce has reduced to a silky, enveloping consistency.
Dishday
Useful advice
Cooking tip
When adding the cream, make sure to reduce the heat to low. The sauce should only simmer very gently; a rolling boil can cause the cream to curdle due to the acidity of the wine and mustard.
How to serve
Serve the chicken piping hot, generously spooning the smooth sauce over the meat. It pairs flawlessly with smooth mashed potatoes, steamed rice, or wide tagliatelle pasta which holds the sauce beautifully.
How to store
Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat gently over low heat, adding a splash of water or milk to restore the velvety, smooth consistency of the sauce.
Note
You can use either chicken breast or juicier boneless skinless chicken thighs. Mixing smooth Dijon with whole-grain mustard gives the sauce a wonderful depth and attractive look.
