Go Back

Creamy Mustard Chicken

Creamy mustard chicken made in one skillet with pan-seared chicken thighs and a velvety Dijon-cream sauce. French bistro-style skillet chicken dinner with tarragon and a glossy sauce that coats a spoon.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: French-American
Calories: 820
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Creamy mustard chicken
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 0.5 cup chicken broth
  • 3 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tbsp whole grain mustard
  • 3 clove garlic, minced
  • 0.5 shallot, minced
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp fresh tarragon (or dried)
  • salt to taste
  • pepper to taste
  • fresh parsley for serving

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Sear and build flavor
  1. Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Sear in butter and olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat for 5-6 minutes per side until golden, then remove to a plate.
  2. Reduce heat to medium and sauté the shallot and garlic in the same pan for 2 minutes, stirring until fragrant.
  3. Pour in the chicken broth and simmer for 1 minute, scraping up the browned fond from the bottom of the pan.
Make the Dijon-cream sauce and finish
  1. Stir in the heavy cream, Dijon mustard, and whole grain mustard, then simmer for 3-4 minutes until the sauce coats a spoon.
  2. Return the chicken thighs to the pan and cook for 5 minutes until cooked through, spooning sauce over the tops if needed.
  3. Stir in the tarragon and turn off the heat. Garnish with fresh parsley before serving.

Notes

For the silkiest sauce, let it simmer until it visibly thickens and coats a spoon, then return the chicken just long enough to finish cooking. Store leftovers in the fridge up to 3 days; reheat gently on the stove with a splash of cream or broth to loosen the sauce. Freezing is not recommended because the cream can separate. For a lighter option, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream (the sauce will be thinner but still flavorful).