The mustard! I couldn’t get over how good the mustard was, and so many varieties. There was Dijon with herbes de provence, Dijon with tarragon, smooth Dijon, whole grain Dijon. For a girl raised on the bright yellow hot dog mustard, I was in heaven. These days I always have at least a couple jars on hand in the fridge, perfect for this Dijon chicken recipe.
A Quick and Easy Weeknight Meal
This is a true weeknight meal, ready in just over a half an hour from start to finish. The key is using thinly-pounded chicken cutlets, which cook in just a few minutes on the stovetop. The sauce also comes together quickly. Sauté a few shallots in butter until softened, and then simmer with a little white wine, dried thyme, and of course, dijon mustard. Stir in the heavy cream at the end to finish the creamy sauce.
Best Chicken to Buy
Use boneless, skinless chicken breasts for this recipe, and then cut them into three roughly equal-sized pieces before pounding them into an even thickness. Don’t forget to remove the tenderloin and pound that thin as well. (It’s the bit on the underside of the chicken breast that looks like it’s only semi-attached.)
Be Careful Not to Overcook the Chicken!
Because the chicken is so thin and cooks so quickly, it can be easy to overcook it and end up with rubbery chicken. A few minutes per side in the pan–just enough to brown each side–is really all you need. If you’re not sure they’re cooked all the way, slice one of the cutlets open and check to make sure it’s opaque all the way through.
What to Serve Alongside
Serve with buttered egg noodles, rice, mashed potatoes, or puréed celery root or parsnips. For a low-carb meal, serve the chicken alone or with some roasted or steamed vegetables.
More Easy Skillet Chicken Recipes
Skillet Chicken Parmesan Italian Skillet Chicken with Spinach, Tomatoes, and Onions Herbes de Provence Skillet Chicken with Potatoes and Greens Skillet Chicken with Baby Bok Choy Skillet Chicken Puttanesca
Place the breast pieces between two pieces of plastic wrap or parchment paper and use a mallet, empty wine bottle, or rolling pin to pound the chicken pieces to an even thinness of about 1/4 inch. Repeat with the tenderloin pieces. Lightly brown chicken on one side, turn over and brown the other side. Do not overcook the chicken. The pieces are thin and they will cook quickly. Remove the chicken pieces from the pan and set aside while you make the sauce.
