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If you want a little escape from the mundane, make this chicken in wine and mustard sauce! Chicken thighs and legs browned, then braised in white wine and Dijon mustard sauce with a bit of cream. 

If you like this recipe, make sure to check out another French classic Cod with Mustard Sauce.

chicken in mustard cream sauce in white pan
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Chicken Dijon

The inspiration for this Mustard Chicken came from a French restaurant we visited in Prague and I immediately knew I had to recreate it at home. 

Chicken pieces are seared till a golden and crispy skin forms, then slowly braised in a This is an affiliate link.Dijon mustard sauce in the oven. Just at the end of the cooking time, I add a touch of cream to tame the mustard and to give the sauce creamy texture. 

This method creates delicious and tender chicken with the sauce you want to pour on everything. Keep that crusty bread ready!

a piece of chicken with creamy sauce being spooned over it

Mustard Sauce for Chicken

You might want to ask how the sauce with no cheese could be so addictive and delicious. And the answer is good quality mustard. 

I am no stranger to cream-based sauces, flavoured with wine and mustard. However, by that point I never made a sauce, which flavour rested solely on a mustard.

Mustard is a heady ingredients and is the key ingredient here! When I first set out to create this recipe I was not sure whether I’d like that much mustard in my sauce. 

chicken thighs and legs in creamy mustard sauce with thyme

What mustard should I use?

Here is what I learned. If you don’t like the taste of a certain mustard, chances are you won’t like it in a sauce, so choose the mustard you enjoy and the best quality you can afford.

Start with milder tasting ones, then go for bolder flavours if that’s your preference. I used French Dijon mustard but a good quality This is an affiliate link.wholegrain mustard will also work here.

Just don’t use American yellow mustard, that will surely kill this delicate sauce.

collage of two photos: chicken with sauce over it on blue plate and two glasses of white wine

White Wine and Mustard Sauce

Wine has got to be my favourite cooking ingredient, so much flavour with so little effort. It adds acidity, which balances out the cream sauce. Overall, wine brings complexity and layers to the taste of this mustard sauce. 

If you would rather not use it, replace with the same amount of apple juice plus 1 tablespoon of white wine vinegar. 

In the end, I had the sauce that was creamy in texture but not bland. It was actually quite vibrant and exciting. I would gladly choose this mustard sauce as one of the top 5 things to eat for the rest of my life if I am stuck on a desert island.

chicken in sauce in white pan, two wine glasses and a plate with torn bread pieces.

Can I use chicken breasts?

I prefer using chicken thighs and legs in most of my recipe because they are 1) more affordable and 2) more flavourful. My daughter is with me on it but my son and my husband are firmly in the chicken breast camp. Men.

I often get asked if chicken breasts could be substituted in my recipes, and the answer is always yes but you’ll need to adjust the cooking time. Find out more in the tips and notes below.

collage of 3 cooking stages for dijon chicken

Recipe Tips and Notes

  • Reduce cooking time by good 20 minutes if using skinless and boneless chicken breasts to prevent them from drying out.
  • If you decide to go with the chicken thighs and legs option, make sure you brown those pieces until golden brown because pale and soggy chicken skin has got to be one of the worst cooking sins!
  • The sauce is not going to be very thick as classic French sauces never are. However, if you like your sauces thicker, add 1 tbsp of flour in step 3 right before you add wine, mustard and chicken stock. 
Chicken in Wine and Mustard Sauce

Serving suggestions

Chicken with a delicious sauce like this needs something to soak up all that flavoursome goodness. For that, I usually turn to tasty sourdough bread and a heap of fluffy mashed potatoes, although roast potatoes are pretty great too.

I also like to add a tasty roasted vegetable as well. Almost anything will work, including brussels sprouts and carrots or Tenderstem broccoli. The perfect way to round out the meal!

Storage and leftovers

You’ll be able to keep leftovers in the fridge for up to 5 days in an This is an affiliate link.airtight container. Reheating can be done in a microwave, but I prefer to use my stovetop.

I find it better to reheat in a pan over medium heat. The sauce might become too think, in which case just add a splash of water. Cover with a lid or foil so the chicken doesn’t dry out and let it heat for around 15 minutes or until it is hot all the way through.

More French chicken recipes

5 from 22 votes

Chicken in Wine and Mustard Sauce

Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 55 minutes
Total: 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 4 -6
Tender and succulent chicken in wine and mustard sauce with thyme and shallots, an easy version of a sophisticated French dish.
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Ingredients 

  • 1 tbsp This is an affiliate link.olive oil
  • 1kg/2 lbs chicken legs and thighs
  • salt and pepper
  • 2 shallots, diced
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 3-4 thyme sprigs
  • 3 tbsp This is an affiliate link.dijon mustard
  • 1/2 cup /125ml white wine
  • 1 cup /250ml chicken stock
  • 1/2 cup /125ml light cream/single cream, 18% fat content

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 350F/180C
  • In a large frying pan heat one tablespoon of olive oil and brown chicken parts seasoned with salt and pepper on each side until golden but not cooked all the way through. Remove to a plate.
  • To the same pan add shallots, garlic and thyme leaves and cook over low heat for 5 minutes without getting any colour on them. Add wine, dijon mustard and chicken stock, stir to combine and bring to a boil, then return chicken to the pan, spoon the sauce all over chicken pieces.
  • Put in the oven uncovered and cook for 45 minutes.
  • Take out of the oven add light/single cream to the sauce, once again baste the chicken in the sauce, put back in the oven and cook for 10 minutes longer.
  • Serve with rice, potatoes or roasted vegetables.

Video

Notes

The sauce is not going to be very thick as classic French sauces never are. However, if you like your sauces thicker, add 1 tbsp of flour in step 3 right before you add wine, mustard and chicken stock. 

Nutrition

Calories: 686kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 52g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Cholesterol: 258mg | Sodium: 405mg | Potassium: 640mg | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 530IU | Vitamin C: 2.6mg | Calcium: 59mg | Iron: 2.2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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Julia from Vikalinka

About Me

Julia Frey is a London based recipe developer and photographer. Julia founded Vikalinka in 2012 with the main mission to provide her readers with delicious and accessible everyday recipes, which could be enjoyed by everyone.

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Recipe Rating




77 Comments

  1. Derian says:

    5 stars
    This has become one of my all time favorite things to make! My boyfriend and I love it! It’s so easy, and we can throw it together quickly, and it’s so, so, so good! I would highly recommend it!

    1. vikalinka says:

      I am so, so happy to hear that, Derian! Thank you for such a lovely review!

  2. Anda says:

    5 stars
    Delicious! I could literally drink that sauce LOL I’m still sitting at the dinner table as I type this. Love love love! As a born and raised Euro girl, I never met a sauce I wouldn’t just eat as soup 😂 Thank you for sharing!

    1. vikalinka says:

      My pleasure, Anda! This mustard sauce is really quite delicious and works equally well on chicken or fish!

      1. Aggie says:

        What kind of fish would this be good with? Im thinking white fish but would it work with something like salmon too?

        1. Julia Frey (Vikalinka) says:

          Yes it will work with salmon, halibut or cod, Aggie. I think the only fish it might not work with is sardine. Every other fish is a go! 🙂

  3. Moxster739 says:

    5 stars
    Outstanding, very tasty and easy to make, a keeper.

  4. Bibi says:

    Looks amazingly delicious, thank you! Could I cook on the stove top instead of baking it in the oven?

    1. vikalinka says:

      You certainly can, Bibi. I would just cover it with a lid.

  5. Jonathan says:

    5 stars
    Easy and delicious recipe thank you!

  6. Shirley says:

    I know this will be great! Can I freeze this??

    1. vikalinka says:

      I haven’t done it, Shirley but I can’t see why not.

  7. Brooke says:

    5 stars
    Obsessed.
    Made this last night and making it again tonight!
    This recipe was explained perfectly – so easy to follow and beyond delicious. Thank you!!

    PS
    Is there anything I can substitute for Dijon to basically make the same thing but with a slightly different flavour – so I can make this multiple times a week!

    1. vikalinka says:

      That’s what I like hearing! 🙂 Thank you so much for such amazing review, Brooke! Please explore my chicken recipes, there will be many more you might enjoy just as much!

  8. Mary Beth says:

    5 stars
    5 star for sure! Reminds me of the year I spent in Quebec. All the elements of wonderful French cooking… garlic, thyme, shallots, Dijon, wine and cream. Delicious with mashed potatoes and French peas.

    1. vikalinka says:

      Thanks you so much Mary Beth for such a wonderful review.

  9. Joanna says:

    I am going to make this sauce today but every time I add cream to sauce it seems to split! Is there a trick o it? I’m not sure what I’m doing wrong

    1. vikalinka says:

      Hi Joanna, turn the heat down to a low simmer before adding cream. High heat is what causing separation. Enjoy!! 🙂

    2. Brenda Hall says:

      5 stars
      Joanna, if you heat the cream in the microwave to be the same temperature as what you’re adding it to, you don’t get the separation. It’s what I do for cream of tomato soup from scratch.

      1. vikalinka says:

        Great tip, Brenda!

  10. William says:

    Julia,

    Will the skin of the chicken still be crispy after it’s been covered in the sauce for the last 10 minutes? This recipe sounds incredibly good and I can’t wait to try it out. Could I also throw in a few chopped portabella mushrooms?

    1. vikalinka says:

      The sauce doesn’t actually cover the chicken all the way, so the skins stay crispy. Mushrooms sound like a great addition, William.