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Creamy Mustard Chicken

Creamy mustard chicken made in one skillet with pan-seared thighs and a velvety Dijon-cream sauce. French mustard chicken flavor with fresh tarragon, simmered until it coats a spoon in under 30 minutes.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: French-American
Calories: 620
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken and pan-sear
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • 1 unsalted butter
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 0.5 shallot
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • salt and pepper to taste
Dijon cream sauce
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 0.5 cup chicken broth
  • 3 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tbsp whole grain mustard
Herbs and serving
  • 1 tsp fresh tarragon or 1/2 tsp dried
  • 1 fresh parsley for serving

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Sear the chicken
  1. Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper, then sear in butter and olive oil until golden, 5-6 minutes per side. Remove the chicken to a plate.
Build the aromatics and deglaze
  1. Sauté the shallot and garlic in the same pan for 2 minutes. Stir often so the garlic doesn’t brown.
  2. Pour in the chicken broth and simmer for 1 minute, scraping the fond to lift browned bits from the pan.
Simmer the Dijon-cream sauce
  1. Stir in the heavy cream, Dijon mustard, and whole grain mustard. Simmer for 3-4 minutes until the sauce coats a spoon.
Finish and garnish
  1. Return the chicken thighs to the pan and cook for 5 minutes until cooked through. Baste the tops with sauce to keep them coated.
  2. Stir in the fresh tarragon, then garnish with fresh parsley to finish.

Notes

Pro tip: scrape the fond immediately when the broth hits the pan—those browned bits are what make the sauce taste bistro-style. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge up to 3 days; reheat gently to avoid sauce separation. Freezing is not recommended because cream sauces can break. For a lighter option, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream and simmer a minute longer for a thicker texture.