Mustard never gets center stage.
Think about it. It sits there unassumingly in its quiet little container or squeeze bottle just waiting.
Waiting to be spread onto crackly wheat toast alongside honey roasted turkey and Muenster cheese. Waiting to be dolloped into a citrusy blend of lemon and olive oil and whisked into a vinaigrette where it will nothing short of forgotten.
When will mustard get its fifteen minutes of fame? When will it finally be the star of the show?
Well, hungry ladies and gentlemen: the time has come.
Just when you thought you had already seen every rendition of the quick chicken dinner, this recipe made its way onto your screen, stumbled into your kitchen, and proved otherwise. It totally and completely cuts the mustard.
Sorry… I had to.
You may have seen other variations of a creamy and tangy sauce, but in my opinion, this one really takes the cake. Er, chicken.
You just can’t replicate the rich, tangy zip of the Dijon condiment. Go on. Try. I dare you.
Now infuse that pungent flavor with the decadence of heavy cream, the sharpness of shallots, and the bold, earthy notes of fresh oregano, and you’ve got a mouthwatering meal that comes together in just under thirty minutes.
Rachael Ray would be so proud.
If you’re unfamiliar with the technique of searing poultry and stirring together a foolproof pan sauce, prepare to be blown away.
I can’t stress enough how vital this method will become to your weeknight dinners. Here’s how I like to break it down:
Protein. Aromatics. Liquid.
If chicken and this tangy condiment isn’t your thing, we could even take a small detour to talk steak and mushrooms instead.
First, sear your ribeye until a delicate crust has formed. Next, give it some space on the counter to gather its thoughts. Into the same pan where the steak left its delicious personal belongings, add shiitakes and garlic. Next, a few glugs of a jammy red wine.
Maybe a splash of cream if no one’s around. Don’t be shy. I won’t tell.
And just like that, you’ve prepared a gorgeous, restaurant-worthy steak dinner with a silky red wine and mushroom sauce. Wow. I’m so proud of you.
Now, back to the chicken (which BTW, would have made a great follow-up film to the Back to the Future trilogy. Just sayin’).
The mustard is the key ingredient that sets this entree apart from all of the other bland poultry recipes out there. The complexity and depth of flavor from the Dijon intensifies the sauce, while the shallots and garlic keep things savory.
A lightly-dressed mixed green salad acts as a bright, balanced side dish. But with all of that velvety sauce, you’re going to need some carbs to make sure you don’t miss a drop. These quick and crispy roasted potatoes will do the trick.
And if you must have even more of my favorite yellow condiment after all this delicious talk, take things into your own hands and make your own homemade mustard.
Whether it’s made from scratch or store bought, let that little jar’s freak flag fly high. Go ahead, mustard. It’s your time to shine.
Print
30-Minute Chicken with Creamy Mustard Sauce
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
For a tangy twist on a quick one-pan dinner, try this chicken with velvety mustard sauce, swimming with shallots and earthy oregano.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon coarse salt, divided, plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided, plus more to taste
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 small shallot, minced
- 2 small cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup homemade or low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano (or 1 teaspoon dried)
Instructions
- In a shallow bowl, combine the flour with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Set aside.
- Season the chicken breasts on both sides with the remaining salt and pepper. Coat the chicken in the flour mixture, shaking to remove any excess.
- Place a heavy-bottomed skillet (like a cast iron pan) over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, and swirl to coat the pan. Saute the chicken until it is golden brown and cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.
- Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and swirl to coat the pan. Add the shallots and garlic and cook until very fragrant, about 1 minute. Whisk in the chicken broth to deglaze the pan, scraping to remove any brown bits from the bottom.
- Allow the mixture to come to a simmer, then whisk in the mustard and heavy cream. Cook, whisking often, until the sauce is slightly reduced and thickened, about 8-10 minutes. Whisk in the oregano and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Divide the chicken and sauce among plates and serve with a simple mixed greens salad.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Chicken
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Poultry
Keywords: chicken, mustard, oregano, heavy cream, shallot
Cooking By the Numbers…
Step 1 – Flour the Chicken
In a shallow bowl, combine the all-purpose flour with 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Season the chicken breasts on both sides with the remaining salt and pepper.
Coat the chicken in the flour mixture, shaking to remove any excess.
Step 2 – Chop the Shallots, Garlic, and Oregano and Sear the Meat
Mince the shallots and garlic and chop the oregano with a sharp knife and sturdy cutting board.
In a heavy-bottomed skillet (like a cast iron) over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and swirl to coat the pan. Let the oil heat up until it shimmers.
Saute the meat until it’s golden brown and cooked through, about 4 minutes per side, and then transfer it to a plate and cover it with foil to keep warm.
Step 3 – Saute the Aromatics and Deglaze the Pan
Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and swirl to coat the pan.
Add the shallots and garlic and cook until very fragrant, for about 1 minute.
Whisk in the broth to deglaze the pan, scraping to remove any brown bits from the bottom. Feel free to use homemade chicken stock, if you like.
Step 4 –Thicken the Sauce and Serve
Allow the mixture to come to a simmer, and then whisk in the mustard and heavy cream.
Cook, whisking often, until the sauce is slightly reduced and thickened. This will take about 8-10 minutes.
Whisk in the oregano, and season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper.
Divide the chicken and sauce between four plates and serve with a simple mixed greens salad, and your choice of carbs.
A Must-Have Condiment
The next time you find yourself staring despairingly into the fridge at that modest package of breasts, let this mustard sauce guide you home.
Well, you’re probably already home if you’re in your kitchen, so let this silky sauce take charge of dinner. You won’t believe the zestiness you’ll get from so few ingredients and so little time.
But don’t twist the lid back on just yet! This entree will have you saying, “More mustard, please,” and these tangy recipes will steer you right:
- Dijon and Sage Roasted Squash
- Honey Mustard Pork Chops
- Arugula Dijon Salad with Figs, Pistachios, and Pea Shoots
What else will you smother in this smooth sauce? Flaky white fish? Roasted veggies? Your face?
Share your thoughts in the comments below! And don’t forget to give this recipe a five-star rating if you loved it.
Photos by Fanny Slater, © Ask the Experts, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. See our TOS for more details. Originally published on December 13, 2010. Last updated on January 13, 2020.
Nutritional information derived from a database of known generic and branded foods and ingredients and was not compiled by a registered dietitian or submitted for lab testing. It should be viewed as an approximation.
About Fanny Slater
Fanny Slater is a home-taught food enthusiast based in Wilmington, North Carolina who won the “Rachael Ray Show” Great American Cookbook Competition in 2014, and published her cookbook “Orange, Lavender & Figs” in 2016. Fanny is a food and beverage writer, recipe developer, and social media influencer. She was a co-host on the Food Network series “Kitchen Sink,” was featured on Cooking Channel’s longtime popular series “The Best Thing I Ever Ate,” and continues to appear regularly on the “Rachael Ray Show.”
