30-Minute Chicken Dijon with Creamy Sauce
Dijon chicken is an easy, elegant chicken recipe that's so delicious on a weeknight or date night at home! Tender, juicy chicken thighs are cooked until golden brown, then simmered in a creamy Dijon mustard sauce with handfuls of chopped spinach or kale.
Ingredients
Creamy Dijon sauce
- 3 tablespoons (85 g) Dijon mustard
- 2 garlic cloves grated or crushed
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lemon juice about ½ lemon
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 2 teaspoons herbs de Provence or 1 teaspoon each dried tarragon and dried thyme
- ¾ cup (125 ml) chicken broth
- ½ cup heavy cream
Chicken
- 6-8 pieces (900 g) bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs 2½-3 pounds
- Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ cup chopped onion about ½ medium onion
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour or brown rice flour/gluten-free all purpose flour
- 2 cups kale or spinach chopped
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the Dijon mustard, lemon juice, garlic, herbs and red pepper. Reserve the heavy cream and chicken broth.
- Pat the chicken thighs as dry as possible with paper towels (this will help crisp up the skin). Season the chicken generously on both sides with salt and pepper.
- Place a large (12-inch) non-stick saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the oil and heat until the surface is shimmering. Arrange the chicken pieces skin-side down in the pan and cook without moving them, until the skin turns golden brown, 5-7 minutes. Turn the chicken over and cook 2 minutes on the other side. Remove the chicken from the pan to a large plate. Note: Brown the chicken in two batches if the chicken seems crowded in the pan.
- Add the onion to the fat in the pan, and cook about 2 minutes, stirring, until softened. Pour in ¼ cup of chicken broth, scraping up the browned bits from the pan with a wooden spoon or spatula. Sprinkle the flour over the onions and stir it in, just until it starts to thicken.
- Stir in the Dijon mixture and remaining ½ cup broth. Add the chicken back to the pan, skin-side up. Cover the pan, lower the heat and cook 15 minutes, adjusting the heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer (not boiling).
- Uncover the pan. Pour the cream around the chicken pieces, and scatter the kale or spinach leaves over the top. Bring back to a simmer, then cover the pan and cook about 5 more minutes, until the kale is wilted and the chicken is cooked through (no longer pink at the bone).
- Serve the chicken with the pan juices spooned over. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- The chicken keeps up to 5 days after cooking. Store in the refrigerator and reheat in a 350 oven until hot, about 15 minutes.
- Chicken browns best when it's not wet. Be sure to pat the chicken skin well (paper towels work great).
- If you'd like to use boneless, skinless chicken parts (thighs or breasts), reduce the browning time to 2 minutes per side in step 3, and continue with the recipe as written.
- Substitute the dried herbs with 1 tablespoon chopped fresh herbs, such as thyme, rosemary, tarragon, or a mixture.
Nutrition
Calories: 143kcalCarbohydrates: 6gProtein: 2gFat: 13gSodium: 213mgFiber: 2gSugar: 2g
