Mustard Chicken Recipe

Prepare to fall madly in love with this Creamy, dreamy Mustard Chicken Recipe. It's a classic French dish that tastes outstanding. 
Friends, this is going to be a detailed post, but I get lots of questions, so I will try to add plenty of information to help you make the best creamy mustard chicken ever!

Also, try my 30-minute Honey Mustard Chicken and Mustard Chicken Meatballs

I don't mean to brag, but this is it.

Forget everything you knew about creamy chicken dishes, and listen up. I'll be honest with you, I've tried many chicken recipes before, way too many.

I sure can tell you the characteristics of a deliciously cooked chicken.

Jump to:

• Equipment
• Ingredients
• Seasoning
• Instructions
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Also, try these chicken recipes
• Side dishes
• Wine pairings
• Similar Recipes
• Recipe

Imagine a perfectly braised falls-off-the-bone chicken swimming in a creamy and flavourful mustard sauce.

It's too irresistible, and words cannot even describe the deliciousness of this recipe.

I said this before, and I'll repeat it.

French people sure know good food. I was lucky to experience delicious food galore when I visited this beautiful country in the mid-2000s.

French recipes are unique, often simple, and absolutely mouthwatering.

Interestingly, I didn't try Dijon Mustard Chicken at the time.

I was too obsessed with their French Onion Soup, cheese, and seafood. Can you blame me?

But ever since I started a food blog, I've dreamed of making recipes from all over Europe.

Being in love with French cuisine, I couldn't leave the creamy Mustard Chicken thighs recipe without proper attention.

French call it Poulet à la Moutarde. Feeling fancy? Call it that way, too.

You'll spend most of the 15 minutes browning the chicken and onions. The oven will do the rest while your mouth waters from a great depth of flavor coming from the oven.

Equipment

This is definitely one of the best one-pot recipes.

To make it, I recommend using a Dutch oven. This is the Dutch Oven I use these days and I'm absolutely in love with this pot.

An alternative version is a good oven-proof cast iron skillet, like this one.

Be prepared to get your hands dirty. Because the mustard sauce for chicken comes out so good, you can't help but finish the last bits of it before you leave the table.

Ingredients

• chicken thighs, skin-on, and bone-in - you can use chicken breasts, read my Frequently Asked Questions section for substitution tips
• mustards - I used Dijon mustard and whole grain Dijon mustard
• butter
• Creme Fraiche - if you don't have it, read my Frequently Asked Questions section for substitution tips
• chicken broth
• herbs - bay leaf, fresh thyme, parsley
• yellow onion, shallot - the combination of the two contributes to the flavor. That being said, if you only have a yellow onion, you can use it and still have a delicious dish
• salt, pepper

Seasoning

What does mustard do to a chicken? The combination of mustards that go into a marinade tenderizes the chicken and adds great flavor.

In addition, Creme Fraiche that's also used in the recipe makes the sauce extra creamy, rich, and literally irresistible.

Instructions

1. Season the chicken with salt, and pepper and rub with both mustards.

2. In a Dutch oven or big oven-proof skillet, melt butter on medium-high heat. Add chicken and brown on both sides, about 4-5 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate.

3. To the same pan, add the shallot and onion and sauté for about 5 minutes, until translucent. Add chicken stock, scraping the brown bits off the bottom of the pan.

Add thyme and bay leaves and bring the mixture to a boil. Stir in the Crème Fraîche and return the chicken back to the pan.

Cook uncovered in the oven at 350 F for 50-60 minutes until chicken is completely cooked through and no longer pink in the middle.

Garnish with parsley and serve immediately!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I Substitute Chicken Breasts for Chicken Thighs?

You can use chicken breasts instead of thighs. There is one thing to keep in mind.

Boneless, skinless chicken breast cooks faster than bone-in and skin-on chicken thighs.

To make sure chicken breasts remain juicy, cook them in the oven for no more than 25–30 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.

That's where an instant meat thermometer comes in handy.

Can I Make creamy French Mustard Chicken Ahead Of Time?

Parts of the creamy Mustard Chicken thighs recipe can be prepared ahead of time.

I recommend sautéing the onions and preparing the sauce 1 day in advance. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge.

On the day when you're ready to serve the dish, brown the dijon chicken, add it to a sauce, and finish everything in the oven.

How Can I Make This Mustard Chicken For A Large Group Of People/Party?

I've been making this recipe for years, but I never actually thought about how to make a batch of it.

But then Thanksgiving 2018 happened and we hosted a party for a large group of family/friends.

Mustard Chicken was the main dish, and there was no way I could fit 16 pieces of chicken thighs into my Dutch Oven pan.

So here's what I did:

1. Working in batches I seared all chicken. To speed up the process I actually used two pans but this is optional.

2. Next, in the same pan I sautéed the onions and prepared the sauce.

3. Finally, I put all the dijon chicken in a large rectangular baking dish, poured over the sauce, and baked it according to the recipe instructions.

So if you ever have to make this recipe for a party, now you know how to make it work:)

How can I substitute Creme Fraiche?

My quickest and easiest solution is to use the combination of heavy cream and sour cream in equal proportions.

So if the recipe calls for 5 tablespoons of Creme Fraiche, you would use 2.5 tablespoons of heavy cream and 2.5 tablespoons of sour cream.

Also, try these chicken recipes

Side dishes

• French Style Mashed Potatoes - full head of roasted garlic, a bit of Crème Fraîche and you have the best-mashed potato recipe ever
• White Basmati Rice - simple and quick side dish that goes really well with saucy and creamy Dijon Mustard Chicken
• Cauliflower and Cucumber Salad - a healthy and easy salad that goes really well with chicken in mustard sauce

Wine pairings

This chicken with mustard sauce pairs really well with medium to full-bodied red wines such as:

• Pinot Noir
• Merlot
• Kendall Jackson Chardonnay
• Chianti Classic Red Wine

Similar Recipes

• Hungarian Chicken Paprikash- authentic and easy one-pan dinner recipe made with pantry staple ingredients
• Chicken With Parmesan-Mustard Sauce - a 30-minute recipe that is perfect for a quick weeknight meal
• Chicken Contadina - traditional Italian recipe with juicy, vegetable-braised chicken
• Honey Mustard Chicken - another easy one-skillet meal your family will love
• Chicken Mushroom Stroganoff - you only need 30 minutes to make this yummy and luxurious chicken dish

Recipe

If you make this Mustard Chicken Recipe, don't forget to snap a picture and post it on Instagram with the hashtag #lavenderandmacarons. I'd love to see your creations.

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