Poulet à la Moutarde à la Poêle
Poulet à la Moutarde à la Poêle·(poo-lay ah lah moo-tard ah lah pwal)
La Popote: Everyday French Weeknight Dinners
A mustard chicken isn't a culinary-school ordeal requiring copper pots and a cleared afternoon; it is twenty-minute family food. You sear the chicken in a cast-iron skillet until the skin crackles to build a foundation of caramelized drippings, hit the hot pan with white wine, and tame it all with heavy cream and supermarket Dijon mustard. Never boil the mustard. Whisk it in right at the end, entirely off the heat, preserving its pungent kick. Tear off a hunk of baguette and wipe the pan clean.
Before you start
Keep the skin dry.
The secret to a perfect sear is eliminating moisture. Pat the chicken completely dry with paper towels before hitting the hot pan to ensure a deeply golden, crispy skin.
Ingredients
- bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs2 1/2 lb
- kosher salt1 tsp
- black pepper1/2 tsp
- unsalted butter1 tbsp
- olive oil1 tbsp
- shallots2 large
- garlic2 med cloves
- dry white wine1/2 cup
- low-sodium chicken stock3/4 cup
- fresh thyme4 sprigs
- heavy whipping cream1/2 cup
- smooth Dijon mustard2 tbsp
- whole grain mustard1 tbsp
- fresh parsley1 tbsp
Method
- 01
Sear the chicken to build the fond.
Heat the butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the dry chicken generously with salt and pepper, place skin-side down, and leave it alone. Let it sear undisturbed for 6 to 8 minutes until the skin is deeply golden and naturally releases from the pan. Flip, cook for 3 more minutes, then remove to a plate.
- 02
Sweat the aromatics and deglaze.
Lower the heat to medium. Add the shallots to the rendered fat and sauté until translucent, about 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic for 30 seconds. Pour in the white wine, scraping up all the caramelized bits from the bottom of the pan, and let the liquid reduce by half.
- 03
Gently braise the chicken.
Pour in the chicken stock and add the thyme sprigs. Return the chicken to the pan, resting it skin-side up so it stays crispy above the liquid. Lower the heat, partially cover, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until the chicken is completely cooked through.
- 04
Emulsify the sauce off the heat.
Transfer the cooked chicken to a serving platter. Turn off the heat completely and discard the thyme. Whisk the heavy cream into the pan juices, followed by the Dijon and whole grain mustards. Keep whisking until the sauce is smooth, velvety, and uniform in color.
- 05
Serve immediately.
Pour the warm mustard sauce around the base of the chicken, garnish with parsley, and serve with a crusty baguette to mop up the sauce.
Notes
Respect the mustard.
Never boil mustard. High heat destroys its volatile essential oils, leaving behind a bitter, dull sauce. Always whisk it in off the heat right at the end.
From Cook French in America.