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This French Mustard Chicken Breasts recipe will make you feel like a fancy chef, but it comes together quickly and can be prepped in advance. You'll want to eat the luxurious mustard sauce like it's soup!
This French Mustard Chicken Breasts recipe was inspired by a delightful French Market class that Scott and I had the pleasure of participating in earlier this summer in Lyon, France. You can read all about that class in this post but the fabulous chicken bathed in a succulent, creamy mustard sauce ranks as one of the best meals we experienced during our two weeks in Lyon. Ever since returning home, I've been working on my own rendition of the delicious chicken, hoping to recreate that fabulous flavor minus some of the effort and time.
When we visited the lovely French market to purchase supplies for our cooking class, our instructor, Lucy, chose Guinea hens for our main course recipe. I requested that we also pick up one boneless, skinless chicken breast as I knew that Guinea hens would not be readily available once I returned home to the U.S. Lucy graciously complied and that was the beginning of this French Mustard Chicken Breasts recipe!
Classic French recipe with a few new twists
Although in France, this recipe would probably be made with bone-in chicken breasts (or Guinea hens), I opted to go with boneless because they cook quickly and are so easily available here in the States. The downside of boneless skinless chicken breasts, however, is that they end up dry and tough when cooked. My challenge was to create an easy recipe for French Mustard Chicken Breasts that would yield tender, juicy meat and a delicious mustard sauce, similar to the one we created in our Lyon cooking class.
Another priority for me was a beautiful presentation. I believe that we eat with our eyes before any food ever touches our tongues. I wanted my chicken to have a beautiful golden hue while staying moist and tender. I experimented with lots of different options to achieve these results and discovered that halving the chicken breasts horizontally to create thinner fillets and sautéing them quickly in a combination of butter and olive oil was the secret.
A simple approach
The thin filets are rubbed with a flavorful combination of garlic salt, Herbes de Provence (or Italian seasoning), black pepper and a pinch of both all-purpose flour and sugar. The salt, herbs and pepper add lots of great flavor while the four and sugar help add beautiful golden color when the chicken is sautéed.
I like to use a combination of extra virgin olive oil and butter for sautéing the chicken. The butter imparts great flavor and the oil keeps the chicken moist but also prevents the chicken from burning.
Chicken breasts don't need to cook long, especially when they've been cut into thinner cutlets as in this French Mustard Chicken Breasts recipe. The chicken is quickly sautéed until golden on one side, flipped over and cooked for just a minute to seal in the juices, then removed from the pan while the delicious sauce is prepared.
Testing, testing, testing...
My husband, Scott has endured a LOT of renditions of this French Mustard Chicken Breasts recipe but he hasn't seemed to mind a single bit. In fact, every time I serve this he comments on how delicious it is.
Each subsequent version has come a little closer to perfecting the recipe and we both concur that finally, the results are as delicious as the original French Mustard Chicken we enjoyed in the Lyon cooking class. The chicken itself is super moist and fork tender and the luxurious mustard sauce transports us back to France each time we taste it.
What should I serve with these French Mustard Chicken Breasts?
There are so many options! This chicken is fabulous with mashed potatoes but, if you're watching your caloric intake, mashed cauliflower would also be delicious. In our market class in Lyon, we served the chicken with tiny new potatoes and tomatoes confit (roasted tomatoes).
One of our favorite pairings is fresh pasta and slender green beans (aka French green beans or Haricots Vert).
It would also be delicious with roasted potatoes and a simple Classic French Bistro Salad.
Can I use milk or half and half in this recipe in lieu of cream?
Honestly, I don't recommend it - the market class recipe called for 2 cups of heavy cream. I worked hard to create a recipe with less cream yet one that would still have lots of delicious French mustardy flavor. I was able to cut back to ¾ cup but I wouldn't go with less than that. Using half and half or milk would water down the sauce and dilute the flavor.
If you're watching calories, I'd recommend enjoying the chicken with just a small serving of the delicious sauce. That's what I do!
A magic carpet ride
Wish you could take a trip to France? This French Mustard Chicken Breasts recipe is a delicious way to travel to the land of lavender, croissants, vineyard-covered hillsides, quaint bistros and the magnificent Eiffel tower... without worrying about passports, catching flights, navigating unfamiliar airports, speaking a foreign language, etc.
This recipe is easy and quick enough to prepare on busy weeknights but elegant enough for a dinner party. Once you try it, it will be sure to go on your frequent flyer rotation!
Café Tips for making these French Mustard Chicken Breasts
- I like to look for chicken breasts that are on the smaller side for this recipe. Although I don't regularly purchase organic products, I do like organic chicken as the breasts are not as massive and tend to be more tender. All that said, I have made this recipe with regular grocery store chicken breasts and it was delicious. Just follow the directions carefully, especially the next tip.
- To ensure tender meat, don't overcook the chicken! Chicken breasts cook quickly, especially thinner cutlets. The reason that chicken breast is often tough and/or dry is overcooking.
- I love to use fresh dill as a garnish for these French Mustard Chicken Breasts as it adds fresh vibrant flavor and makes for a pretty presentation. However, if you can't find dill or you're not crazy about it, fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped rosemary or a combination of herbs will also yield delicious results.
- This recipe calls for boneless, skinless chicken breasts. The breasts are sliced horizontally into thinner fillets. This is not difficult but you can also purchase thin pre-cut chicken cutlets, either way it works!
- As mentioned above, there are two teaspoons of flour and one teaspoon of sugar in the chicken rub. You won't detect either of these in the final result. The flour and sugar both help in giving the chicken a nice golden hue.
- This recipe calls for a half cup of dry white wine. Any decent white wine that's not too sweet will work well. We enjoy drinking Sauvignon Blanc so that's what I often use but a Pino Grigio, Chardonnay or Dry Riesling would also work well.
- Don't skip the shallots. Shallots are very common in French cooking and give the sauce a touch of sweetness along with a unique, super delicious flavor. One time I made this French Mustard Chicken Breasts recipe and totally forgot the shallots. When I tasted the sauce after cooking there was definitely something missing - after thinking it through, I realized it was the shallots!
- This recipe calls for bay leaves. I love to use fresh bay leaves when I can as they're so flavorful. Fresh bay leaves are available at most larger grocery stores and come in the same little plastic cartons as other fresh herbs. Fresh bay leaves will keep well in the refrigerator for several weeks.
- I really like using a cast iron skillet for this recipe as the chicken browns really nicely. Cast iron skillets are reasonably priced and are great for so many things. I have this one and this one.
- One of the key ingredients in this recipe, as the name suggests, is mustard. The recipe calls for grainy or wholegrain Dijon mustard. My favorite is Maille Wholegrain Dijon. Maille is available at most larger grocery stores in the same area as the other mustards. It's also available online.
- If you live in France, at the time of this writing, I'm aware that there is currently a mustard shortage. If you can't get a hold of good mustard, I'd suggest just waiting to make this recipe until your beloved Dijon mustard returns.
Thought for the day:
But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light,
we have fellowship with one another,
and the blood of Jesus, His Son,
purifies us from all sin.
1 John 1:7
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French Mustard Chicken Breasts (Poulet à la Moutarde Française)
Ingredients
For the chicken:
- 2 pounds skinless boneless chicken breasts, 4 medium-size breasts
- 1 ½ teaspoons garlic salt, use 2 teaspoons if you have 2 pounds of chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon Herbes de Provence, or Italian seasoning
- 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
For the mustard cream sauce:
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot, 1 medium, about ½ of a medium size shallot
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 1 ½ cups chicken broth
- 2 medium bay leaf
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoon grainy Dijon mustard, I like Maille
- 2 teaspoons corn starch
- fresh dill, or use thyme or rosemary (or a combination), for garnish
Instructions
For the chicken:
- Combine the garlic salt, Herbs de Provence, flour, sugar and pepper in a small bowl and stir to combine. Set aside.
- Cut the chicken breasts in half horizontally. To do this, lay the breasts out on a work surface, then place your nondominant hand on the top and slice horizontally halfway through the meat (to create two thin cutlets) with your dominant hand. Lay the chicken breasts out in a single layer on the work surface and sprinkle on both sides with the garlic salt mixture.
- In a large cast iron, heavy-duty skillet or shallow braiser, melt the butter with the olive oil over medium heat until starting to sizzle a bit,
- Add the chicken breasts, smooth sides down and cook for 4-6 minutes or until the underside is golden (if the breasts are thicker go for 5-6 minutes if thin, 4-5 is good). Flip the breasts to the opposite side and cook for another 1 minute. (The chicken will not be completely cooked at this time but will finish cooking later.) Transfer to a clean plate and cover loosely with foil.
For the mustard cream sauce:
- Add the chopped shallots to the pan and sauté over medium-low heat for 1-2 minutes until softened and fragrant. Add the garlic and sauté for another 30 seconds. Add the wine and increase the heat to medium-high, stirring frequently and scraping any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook at a rapid boil or until most of the wine has evaporated.
- Add the chicken broth and bay leaves and bring the mixture to a steady low boil. Cook, uncovered for 8 minutes.
- While the broth is cooking, combine the cream, mustard and cornstarch and stir vigorously with a fork until nice and smooth.
- This step is totally optional, but if you like a really smooth sauce, you can strain it through a fine mesh strainer at this point, pushing on the solids until all the liquid is removed. Discard the solids, return the sauce to the pan and bring it to a boil then proceed as directed.
- Add the cream mixture to the simmering sauce and any juice that has accumulated on the plate with the chicken. Stir until well combined. Bring back to a boil then reduce to a slow simmer over low heat. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove the bay leaves and discard them. Taste and add additional salt and pepper, if needed.
- Add the chicken back to the pan, cover the pan tightly and turn off the heat. Allow the chicken to sit, undisturbed for 5 minutes. Serve the chicken, drizzled with the sauce and pass extra at the table. Garnish with fresh dill sprigs, thyme leaves or finely chopped rosemary. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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I made this chicken recipe tonight and it was amazing. I added a side a braised leeks and they went will with the chicken. Can’t wait to do it all over!
Hi Teresa, Thanks for the excellent review! So glad to hear how well this dish turned out for you - the braised leeks sound like a great idea! We appreciate you taking the time to let us know how much you enjoyed this recipe!
This dish is amazing! I followed the directions exactly the first time I made it and fell in love with the simple steps that lead to a powerful recipe. Question: since I felt inclined to drizzle the sauce on every item on my plate (it’s that good). Is it possibly to simple double the sauce portion when making it again?
Thank you for the wonderful review, Andrea! It's great to hear that dish turned out well for you and how much you loved the sauce. And yes, you can certainly double the sauce. You may want to add a little more olive oil and/or butter to the pan after removing the chicken since you'll be adding double the ingredients to sauté in the pan drippings. Hope this turns out well for you and thanks for letting us know how much you enjoyed this recipe!
Can I use skinless, boneless chicken thighs instead?
Hi Sandra, yes that will work!
What steps can you prep in advance?
Hi Ann, you could prep the chicken, combine the spices and measure out the remaining ingredients so you're all set to go. But you could also make the whole dish in advance and the warm it gently before serving.
Our friend was in France and said they had this fabulous chicken dinner. She said google French mustard chicken. I did and your recipe came up. Made this right away and it was so good. My question is can I make this to the point of putting the chicken back in, and freeze it all for one week? I am not sure if it is good to freeze the heavy cream. I am making this for family coming in for Thanksgiving and really would like to just bring this out, thaw it and simmer till ready. What do you think?
Hi MJ, I would not try freezing this chicken. I don't think you'd be as happy with it. You're best bet is to make it a day in advance and then gently rewarm before serving.
I made this last night. It was easy, tasty, and the sauce was great for dunking chunks of baguette. Next time I make it, I'm definitely throwing in some mushrooms and putting some chives on top
Hi Mark, so happy you enjoyed this recipe! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review. You might want to try this recipe next time as it does have the mushrooms:
https://thecafesucrefarine.com/easy-pan-chicken-in-mushroom-wine-sauce/
French Mustard Chicken does not traditionally have mushrooms although I don't think you can ever get too many mushrooms!
This one is also great and calls for mushrooms: https://thecafesucrefarine.com/weeknight-dinner-party-chicken-marsala/
Deliciously Delicious relatively easy, works better with a smooth sauce, the sauce i had left over ive frozen for another time
Deliciously Deliciously, relatively easy, works better with a smooth sauce, the sauce i had left over ive frozen for another time
Wonderful! Thanks for the review, Matt!
This was amazing! My husband and I were practically licking our plates, the sauce was so yummy. Made it almost exactly according to recipe except used apple cider vinegar/ water instead of white wine, and I ended up having to cook the chicken a little longer in the last step -- had the heat on low and periodically checked the chicken with a thermometer until fully cooked. It was still deliciously moist! Served over egg noodles with asparagus. Thanks for a great recipe!
Thanks for the review, Theresa!
I was excited to try this recipe and very happy with the taste. It was excellent. Super moist and very flavorful. N My only concern/ question is that I used 4 boneless skinless chicken breast, each 4.0 ounces. I pounded them a tad but did not slice in half since they weren't too chunky. Since I used half the amount of chicken I halved the mustard sauce recipe. I felt it wasn't enough sauce this way. Should I double the sauce ( making the whole sauce recipe ) next time? Since there are only two of us , I probably won't cook more than 4 pieces of chicken at a time.
Thank you
Hi Andi, yes, I would make the whole recipe for the sauce. It's never a problem to have a little extra sauce!
My husband and I thought this recipe was delicious. I made it exactly as written. Thank you.
Wonderful! Thank you for your review, Estel!
Tried this recipe last night. It was a hit. Not too complicated, not overly expensive ingredients, and loads of flavor.
Awesome! Thank you for the review, Mike!
I loved the flavor - my only issue was the cooking directions for the chicken. I followed them very closely, but because the cutlets weren't all perfectly even, and 2 lbs of chicken is a lot of chicken to fit into even a large cast iron skillet, by the time I got to the last step I realized some of the cutlets weren't cooked all the way through. I'd make this again, but I will fully cook the cutlets up to 165 degrees during the first cooking step to avoid issues. I'm sure folks who cook chicken much more regularly than I won't have any issues with ensuring their chicken is cooked, but I need a bit more assurance.
Hi Kate, thanks for your review. Chicken breasts are often over-cooked and that's why they have a reputation for being dry. Finishing cooking them in the sauce is a way to prevent that. I wonder if your sauce wasn't hot enough. It should be nicely simmering when you add the chicken and then cover to finish the cooking.
If you cook them to 165 during the first step, I would just gently warm them at the end to avoid over cooking. No need to cover and let them rest as directed in the recipe.
This sounds like the perfect dish for an elegant family dinner I’m planning. I have one problem-I need to fix the dinner ahead. Basically I need to cook it two days ahead or cook it several days ahead and freeze it. Would recipe work? Or do you have a suggestion?
Hi Adele,
It would be best to make this dish two days ahead and then gently rewarm it before serving. I think freezing could cause the sauce to separate.
If you have a vacuum sealer you can cook everything up to a week in advance, separate the chicken, sauce and, vegetables, seal each bag, store in the fridge to boil in the bag when you have time. Cook the pasta fresh as it won't take more then 12 minutes. Super great results.
Thanks for the review, Sheila!
I need this to be gluten free. What acan I substitute for flour?
Cornstarch is gluten free and can therefore be used as the recipe suggests. The tiny amount of plain flour required can be replaced with gluten free plain flour...
Thanks, Helene!
This recipe sounds delicious! Is there something you can suggest instead of cream due to allergies? Like coconut milk or cream?
Hi Ellen, coconut milk would be delicious but a little different flavor profile.
LOVED this dish! My husband, who hates vegetable or anything new, suddenly was wondering about "French cooking" after watching an old Western that had one character listing off various French dishes on the hotel menu. I came to this site, and decided to try this recipe. One thing I did different- I did the "velveting" described under Coq au Vin to make sure the chicken wasn't as tough as it usually turns out for me.
We had the chicken on egg noodles with cream, salt and pepper, accompanied by a simple butter and romaine lettuce mix with cucumbers. Even my son (who also hates anything new) loved it! The chicken was so tender, and the sauce would be enjoyable on its own.
The preparation was a little more than I would have time for on a work day, as we work 10+ hours, but I think it can be reheated if made on a weekend.
Next on the list is Beef Bourgonionne. Looking forward to the experience. I forgot how much I used to enjoy cooking, instead of just opening cans.
Thank you for the review, Bonnie! So glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe.
Oohhh-my husband found this ad a last minute idea for Friday dinner . We cooked it together and WOW! We loved it . I didn’t have any white wine so I just used extra chicken broth. This is a keeper for sure.
Awesome! Thank you for letting us know, Kelly!
My store carries Maille Dijon or old style but not a combination of both. Which is it?
Hi Danielle, Either will work although I really like the little bit of texture that the old style (grainy) adds.
We loved this! Even our picky grandson had seconds
Awesome! Thanks for your review, Denise!
I love your recipes and have followed forever, this is a great recipe! My problem is with the ads. They overwhelm the page and are making it slow, hard to see text, taking a long time to load. Wish there weren’t 3 aggressive ads popping up repeatedly on each page. Including one that’s moving around on this page. Sorry!
I understand what you're saying, Gayle and I'm sorry this is frustrating. I don't love ads popping up on other websites I go to. The ads, however, are the way that we're able to afford to run a website, purchase expensive photography and technology equipment, pay our employees and, most important, offer well-tested recipes to our readers for free.
Made this for guests, we loved it. Had plenty of sauce. To make it easier since there are so many steps, I measured and prepped everything before starting the cooking. It took a bit longer for my chicken to cook. 5 minutes off the heat was not enough. I think what I will do next time is to sauté the second side longer than a minute. It took awhile for it to reach safe eating temperature. Otherwise so yummy. Served with red skinned mashed potatoes and roasted asparagus.
Thanks for letting us know, Nanci!
I made the French Mustard Chicken for dinner, and we absolutely loved it. We both agreed it was the best chicken we had ever eaten. We could have eaten the sauce with a spoon, it was so delicious!!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful recipes.
So happy to hear that, Patricia! Thanks for your review!
This made a delicious Sunday dinner. I didn't have any garlic salt or shallots, so I substituted fresh garlic and onion.. Instead of slicing the meat lengthwise, I cut it crosswise and pounded the pieces to 1/2-3/4 inches thick. I originally omitted the sugar from the sauce, but when I did a taste test, it was clear why the sugar was needed – to counter the acidity in the mustard. The sugar was added and the sauce was perfect. I served this with rice pilaf and asparagus. This recipe will go in my binder of favorites.
Thanks for your review, Bernadette!
This was really easy for the amount of flavor and appearance. I inadvertently grabbed a package of Costco chicken tenderloins to thaw rather than breasts. Oops. I went ahead and pounded them a bit and followed the recipe. It was delicious and probably a better amount of food for the two of us. I don’t know if the fresh dill added that much to it and now I’ve got a whole package to find recipes for. It certainly looked nice on the plate but next time I might opt for fresh thyme which I use often. Thanks Chris! This would work for a dinner party.
Yay, so happy you enjoyed this, Bonnie! Thyme would be a delicious replacement for the dill. You could always make this dressing with some of the dill:https://thecafesucrefarine.com/lemon-dill-dressing/
Thanks for sharing your review 💕
This sounds delicious and I will definitely be making it. I just wanted to tell you, I love your blue flow dishes! I have a large set that my mother gave me…mine have a gold edge. I treasure them, as I did my Mother!
I love that, Kathryn! Yours sound beautiful!
I am getting ready to try this for a dinner party. Can I make the cream sauce and the chicken ahead of time just through the recipe step 6 ? I would do this in the early afternoon and serve at about 7:00 that evening.
Thank you
Hi Elinore, yes you could do the sauce ahead of time and the chicken also. However, if it's going to be more than an hour, I would refrigerate the chicken and then give it a little longer in the sauce to ensure that it's done. You could check it with an instant thermometer. It should read 160-165˚F.
I made the mustard sauce in advance and started the chicken one hour before my guests arrived. I did not halve the breasts because I was afraid of overcooking during reheating. 15 minutes before serving, I put the sauce in the pan with the chicken and brought to a simmer on medium low. It was perfect! Everyone loved it and i got to spend time with my friends and not in the kitchen.
It's a keeper.
Awesome! Thanks for letting us know!
Made this as-written and was loved by all, including my 8 year old (although he eats everything I cook haha). We will for sure be making this again, and for guests! So delicious, thank you for sharing a piece of your adventures so we can pretend to be in France for an evening!!
Awesome! Thank you for letting us know, Jessica!
Loved this recipe! It was a big hit. Only change - we don't drink or cook with alcohol, so I substituted organic apple cider vinegar for the cooking wine. Still absolutely amazing! Thank you.
Thanks for your review, Kim!
Fabulous. The recipe was easy to follow. Start to finish in under an hour. I followed the recipe exactly and will do so again. I served it with mashed potatoes and baby broccoli. My husband loved it. We enjoy our wine and served it with a Dragonette Chardonnay (not an oaky chard). Great pairing. As my husband says, this recipe is a keeper. Elegant enough for a dinner party, easy enough for a weekday meal. Thank you.
Awesome! Thanks for your review, Genevieve!
Oh, man. This sauce is just unbelievably good. The mustard and cream produce such a fantastic , rich blend of sweet and savory. I also appreciated the recipe's pacing--there is plenty of time to get ready for the next step along the way. I never felt rushed. Winner, winner—Thank you, Chris!
Thanks for letting us know, MJ! So happy you enjoyed this 🙂
Another recipe I can't wait to try!! It sounds wonderful and I love the meal suggestions you gave! Thanks.
You mentioned a dry white..and since I was in the Hendersonville, NC last summer I had to try the BurntShirt Vineyard there. Their Gruner Veltliner- there top of the line is delicious. I joined their club just so I can order once or twice a year! I am not a red drinker but that white is wonderful. If you are nearby I would suggest a tasting!
That's great to know! Thanks, Karo!
Hi Barb, you definitely could. I would let the chicken cook longer on the second side, at least 5 minutes, rather than the 1 with the breasts as thighs will take a bit longer and they won't dry out when cooked a little more.
Looks great! Could I do it wth chicken thighs??