This post may contain affiliated links. If you click a link and make a purchase, assume we make a commission.
These Creamy Mustard Chicken Thighs are elevated, elegant, and surprisingly simple to make in just one skillet. Just a handful of ingredients (Dijon mustard is the star, of course), just under 45 minutes to make, and seriously awesome to eat!
Jump to:
- The elevated chicken dinner
- Here's what you'll need to make Creamy Dijon Chicken Thighs
- Here's how to make it
- Optional add-ins
- Things I noticed while making this recipe
- That pan I always use...
- Let's just say you have leftovers
- Apparently I'm the bone-in, skin-on chicken thigh Queen of recipe goodness:
- Creamy Mustard Chicken Thighs
- Pin it for later
The elevated chicken dinner
As you probably can tell from reading my blog, I’m an avid fan of elevated chicken recipes. These Dutch Oven Chicken Thighs with Mustard Sauce are incredibly popular on Pinterest, and for good reason, they’re awesome. But this recipe is very similar, it’s created with my viral recipe in mind, but also with even more Dijon mustard flavor and the addition of stone ground mustard to give it even more of that tangy, savory mustard flavor (big fan of mustard flavors over here).
Additionally, as a very special added bonus–my kids loved this recipe. I hope yours will, too!
Here's what you'll need to make Creamy Dijon Chicken Thighs
Keep in mind, my recipes lately are designed to be (a complete and very delicious) starting point. Feel free to let your preferences guide you and make some of your own decisions. You can also see my list below of substitutions and add-ins to customize things to your liking.
- Chicken thighs, bone-in,skin-on - I often use chicken thighs because they’re very forgiving and significantly more cost effective than other cuts. With current grocery prices, I am keeping costs in mind.
- Salt + pepper - to season the chicken. Be sure to use sea salt or kosher salt, table salt is very salty and considering this dish is heavy on the mustards, there will be enough saltiness in the broth that you don’t need to over-salt your meat.
- Olive oil - for seasoning your pan, feel free to use any cooking oil that you have on hand.
- Shallot - they taste great in this dish, but if you don’t have a shallot (and often we don’t have them on hand) just mince ½ an onion.
- Dijon mustard - this tangy, savory mustard is the star of the show! If you’re not a fan of Dijon, please don’t use the entire amount. Just use maybe ½ the amount because this recipe is, once again, very heavy on the mustard flavors.
- Chicken broth - this is the base of the pan sauce.
- Heavy cream - this makes the sauce creamy. Be sure to use heavy cream or heavy whipping cream, if you’re subbing with something like Lactaid or 2% milk, the pan sauce might split apart and you really don’t want that.
- Whole grain mustard - this is for texture and extra pops of flavor. Also, it looks cool in the final dish. I add it last so that the texture is preserved.
- Fresh herbs - I used thyme, I like how it tastes with the Dijon, but parsley is also a nice choice. Of course, if you don’t have fresh herbs, feel free to leave them out and just sprinkle the finished dish with some freshly milled pepper.
Here's how to make it
Scroll down to the recipe card for all of the in-depth details, here’s just a quick rundown with some photos so that you can see how easy and approachable this dish is to make!
First drizzle olive oil into a pan and sear your chicken thighs. This takes about 5-8 minutes on each side depending on how your pan heats and behaves. Don’t force the flip–if it’s sticking to the pan it’s not ready, it should release rather easily.
Then remove the chicken, set them aside. Add your shallots and stir until they sweat a little (and smell amazing). I know, typically sweat and smelling amazing aren’t used in the same sentence! Add the Dijon mustard and stir it around to get it nice and toasty.
Then add the chicken broth, heavy cream, and stone ground mustard.
Add the chicken back to the pan and bake uncovered until it’s finished and top with some fresh herbs for a pop of color and flavor! That’s it, so easy, you’ve got this!
Optional add-ins
- Red pepper flakes - I’m a fan of spice, but I have kids and a husband who are not. But feel free to add a pinch of red pepper flakes along with the shallots to give this dish a bit of heat!
- Lemon wedges - add a few lemon wedges for a pop of color and visual appeal!
- Flour - if an uneven, separated sauce gives you any kind of anxiety, or you like your sauce thick, add 2 tbsp of flour to your pan after you remove the chicken and whisk it around after you add the shallot. Again, whisk it around, and do this for about 2-3 minutes to get the flour flavor under control. Then add your chicken broth and continue with the recipe as directed. As it’s written, this sauce isn’t thick like a gravy, it’s thickened from the heavy cream and from cooking down a bit in the oven.
Things I noticed while making this recipe
- The sauce isn’t *super* thick like gravy - if this kind of thing bothers you, add flour and make a roux after you add the shallots. This will bind the sauce well and make it thicker (like a gravy). Be sure to whisk it well and use no more than 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour.
- It’s deeply savory and tangy - Dijon mustard is the star ingredient, you’re going to taste the Dijon so be sure to use a quality mustard, and don’t oversalt the chicken with table salt (or any salt) before searing. There will be plenty of flavor in that silky sauce!
- You must use heavy cream or the sauce will separate - if you’re using anything other than heavy cream or heavy whipping cream, this sauce is at risk for separation. It’s visually unappealing and that texture is also unappealing, so just be sure to use that ingredient as directed because I haven’t tested it with half and half or even whole milk.
- The serving size - the recipe card says this serves 4 people, but there are 6 chicken thighs as the recipe is written, just cook according to how many people you’re serving and how many thighs they’re going to want. You could easily get away with adding another 2-3 chicken thighs into this recipe without changing anything else. If you’re going to double it, just double the whole recipe, but if you’re just adding a few extra chicken thighs, you don’t need to change anything.
That pan I always use...
Real quick note on that Staub braiser I always use, it’s fantastic and I’d recommend if you make one kitchen investment this year, that this pan would be it. I use it DAILY, often multiple times a day. And I’m thinking about getting another one just like it. You can get it here >>>
Let's just say you have leftovers
- Storing: cool the final dish to room temperature and then transfer to an airtight container (big fan of these!) and refrigerate for up to 3-4 days.
- Freezing: again, cool to room temperature and store in a freezer-safe bag or container for 2 months. Sauce and all. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
- Reheating: personally, I like to reheat these in a heavy-bottomed pan on low heat, covered, for about 10 minutes (or until they’re nice and hot). You could also microwave individual servings at 30 second intervals and until they’re warmed through.
Apparently I'm the bone-in, skin-on chicken thigh Queen of recipe goodness:
If you love this recipe and want some more like it, try these! I'm a huge fan of the Dutch Oven Tarragon and Dijon Chicken Thighs, but don't sleep on the Boursin Chicken Thighs! Oh, how to choose...
Ingredients
- 6 chicken thighs bone-in,skin-on
- 1 tsp EACH kosher salt and pepper or as needed
- 2 tbsp olive oil or any neutral-tasting oil
- 1 tbsp minced shallot (about 1 whole shallot)
- ¼ cup Dijon mustard
- 1 ¼ cup chicken broth
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 2 tbsp whole grain mustard
- 1 tbsp minced thyme or parsley optional for garnish and flavor
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Salt and pepper the chicken thighs on both sides. Be sure to use kosher salt, table salt is way saltier and this might create an issue considering this is a dijon-mystard based recipe (it’s pretty salty already).
- Drizzle olive oil into a large, oven-safe skillet or braiser over medium-high heat.
- Sear the thighs on each side until the skin is golden brown. About 5-8 minutes on each side, if the chicken is sticking to the pan, let it cook until it releases easily.
- Remove the chicken thighs and set them aside, turn the heat down to low.
- Add the shallot and saute for 1-2 minutes until they begin to sweat.
- Add the dijon mustard, and stir it around for another minute. You want to get it toasty.
- Next whisk in the chicken broth, be sure to scrape all of those brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Next add the heavy cream and turn the heat off.
- Finally stir in the whole grain mustard.
- Return the chicken to the pan.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken reads 165 degrees F at a minimum. But I like it best when it’s closer to 175-185 degrees F, because this allows the connective tissue to melt, creating melt-off-the-bone meat.
- Top with fresh thyme or parsley for garnish, if you’d like.
Notes
Pin it for later
Follow and connect with me over on Pinterest--I'm pinning daily and love the comments and reviews!
Leave a Reply