Mustard chicken (poulet à la moutarde) is a classic French bistro dish ~ this easy chicken thigh recipe is richly flavored and quick to make.
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I’m always on the lookout for this kind of family pleasing chicken thigh recipe ~ this French mustard chicken is a new favorite. It’s simple and straightforward, relying on just a few key ingredients for next level flavor.
- Make it in one skillet, just like my popular Creamy Tuscan Chicken.
- White wine and mustard come together to make a vibrant flavor that doesn’t overpower.
- Chicken thighs get crispy outside and super tender inside, you can’t mess them up!
ingredient notes for French mustard chicken
chicken thighs ~ go for bone-in/skin-on for best flavor. The skin browns nicely and you’ll get nice pan juices.
mustard ~ Dijon, of course. But I also use a bit of yellow mustard (for color) and grainy mustard because it’s my fave. The texture of the mustard seeds is wonderful.
wine ~ a dry white wine, whatever you like can be used. The flavor concentrates as the sauce cooks so you want something ‘drinkable.’ It adds delicious acidity that works well with the mustard.
shallot ~ has more flavor payoff than onion, and gives that French restaurant vibe to the dish.
Parsley and thyme ~ more of a garnish, they add a bit of fresh flavor.
mustard chicken method
- Coat the chicken in mustard and seasonings.
- Brown the thighs, in batches.
- Sauté shallots and deglaze the pan with wine and broth.
- Simmer thighs until done (165F in center.)
- Add sour cream and grainy mustard to create creamy thickened sauce.
- Heat through and serve.
mustard chicken faqs
Yes, use any parts you like, just adjust your cooking time. If using larger cuts of chicken you may want to increase the sauce.
Yes, definitely look for a Dijon mustard, I use Maille, it’s widely available and delicious.
Any white that’s clean, crisp and dry. Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Gris works well.
You might use chicken stock, but the wine really adds a defining flavor to this dish and I recommend it.
You can sub creme fraiche or heavy cream, but don’t leave out this little bit of dairy, it rounds out the mustard chicken sauce.
how about a French dessert to finish the meal?
- French Pistachio Cake
- Rustic Apple Galette
- Creme Anglaise (easy custard sauce)
- Classic Crème Brûlée
- Easy Chocolate Soufflé
- Chocolate Pot de Crème
- Lemon Madeleine Recipe
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French Mustard Chicken
Equipment
- large skillet or braising pan
Ingredients
- 3 lbs chicken thighs, I use bone-in skin-on
- coarse salt and fresh cracked black pepper
- 4 Tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 Tbsp yellow mustard
- 1/2 tsp smoked or sweet paprika
- 1 Tbsp butter
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 large shallots, minced
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- bundle of thyme sprigs, tied with kitchen string
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 Tbsp sour cream
- 1 Tbsp grainy mustard
garnish
- fresh thyme or parsley
Instructions
- Put your chicken thighs into a large bowl and season well with coarse salt and fresh cracked black pepper. Add the mustards and paprika and mix everything together well to get all the surfaces of the chicken coated. Your hands work well here.
- Heat the butter and oil in a large skillet and, working in batches, brown the chicken, skin side down first, for about 5 minutes, then flip and continue browning for another few minutes. Transfer the meat to a plate and repeat for the rest of the thighs.
- Add the minced shallot to the pan drippings and saute for a minute or two to soften, stirring constantly. Add the wine and bring up to a bubble, scraping up any browned bits from the pan. Let the wine simmer for a couple of minutes, then add the stock, thyme bundle, and bay leaves. Place the chicken back into the pan and simmer, covered, for about 15-20 minutes, or until the chicken is done through. Remove the chicken thighs to a plate and remove the thyme and bay leaves.
- Whisk the sour cream and grainy mustard into the sauce. You can sprinkle in about a teaspoon of Wondra flour if you'd like a little more body to your sauce. Taste at this point to add any seasonings. Nestle the chicken back in and heat everything through. Garnish with fresh parsley or thyme leaves before serving.
Made this for sunday lunch with mashed potatoes. Absolutely delicious! We used only dijon and now this recipe will be on our permanent roster! Delicious!
Oh my goodness, this recipe is amazing!! It was about 4pm and I did a quick search on google for a recipe with chicken. Your’s popped up. I didn’t have all the ingredients because this was an unplanned last minute pull it together dinner… so I swapped shallots for 1/2 white onion, and sour cream for greek yogurt. It’s just what I had on hand. I paired this with a frozen bag of mediterranean seasoned veggies from my freezer (thanks, Costco!) and some red lobster cheddar bay biscuits (I had one bag left in my pantry).
1 hour later – OH MY GOSH!!! My house smells amazing. My husband who wasn’t even hungry couldn’t stop eating it. My 3 year old ate his whole plate. And so did I.
I just texted this recipe to my sister and told her this recipe is a WIN!!!
Very easy to whip together, but the flavors have so much depth, people will think you’re a very good cook.
I feel proud of myself tonight. Thanks for that.
Best comment ever, thanks Erin, I’m grinning from ear to ear. We’re mustard lovers in this house, so I’m extra happy you enjoyed this one.
This was absolutely delicious & easy to make too! My husband went back for seconds & keeps raving about how much he enjoyed it. Definite “keeper”!
Yay! Thanks for the review 🙂
These flavors are perfect for fall! This was perfect with some roasted vegetables.
That’s it, you have convinced me Sue to move into your guest room. Just consider me a part of the family! Your recipe is superb!
Haha, it’s ready and waiting!
Making this tonight!!