Poulet à la Moutarde (French Mustard Chicken)
Crackling, golden-brown chicken skin meets a rich, tangy mustard sauce in this classic French comfort dish. If you love deep, savoury flavour, this dish delivers bistro-quality results right from your own kitchen.Braising chicken thighs often comes with a trade-off: tender meat at the expense of soggy skin. This recipe solves that problem with a clever sauce technique. By limiting the braising liquid during the oven roast and building the crème fraîche pan sauce afterwards, you get deeply tender chicken, crisp skin, and plenty of velvety sauce to spoon over egg noodles.Servings: 3-6 (or 4 servings (1 to 2 thighs per person)Increase Thigh Count to 8: If using an ovenproof 3.5-quart sauté pan or 12.5-inch skillet, you can easily brown 8 thighs in two 4-thigh batches without changing any of the sauce measurements (since the recipe already yields 2¼ cups of pan sauce).
Ingredients
➡️Note About Scaling the Recipe: When scaling to 2X or 3X, the light grey ingredient notes and the instructions remain unchanged. Please adjust as needed.
Chicken and Mustard Sauce
- 6-8 medium bone-in skin-on chicken thighs, approx. 2¾ to 3 pounds (1¼ to 1⅓ kg) total
- 1¼ teaspoons Windsor kosher salt divided, plus more to taste
- ¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper divided
- 1 tablespoon neutral cooking oil such as avocado or grapeseed oil
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 3 medium shallots thinly sliced, approx. 5 oz (150 g) total
- 3 garlic cloves finely chopped
- 4 fresh thyme sprigs
- ¾ cup dry white wine approx. 6 fl oz (175 ml)
- 1½ cups low-sodium chicken stock divided, approx. 12 fl oz (350 ml)
- ¾ cup full-fat crème fraîche approx. 6 oz (180 g)
- 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice optional
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
Egg Noodles
- 10 to 12 ounces dried wide egg noodles approx. 280 to 340 grams
- Kosher salt for cooking water
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter optional
Instructions
Prepare the Chicken
- Trim loose skin and excessive fat from the thighs, leaving the main skin covering intact. Pat the chicken thoroughly dry with paper towels. Season both sides with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper.
- For maximum browning, refrigerate the chicken uncovered on a rack for 4 to 24 hours to dry-brine. Otherwise, let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes before cooking.
Brown the Chicken
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) with a rack set in the center position.
- Heat the oil in a large ovenproof 3½-quart sauté pan or 12½-inch skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes until shimmering.
- Arrange the thighs skin side down in a single layer. Press lightly with tongs to ensure contact with the pan. Work in batches if necessary to avoid crowding. Cook undisturbed for 5 minutes, then cook another 3 to 5 minutes (8 to 10 minutes total), rotating the pan as needed for even heat. When the skin is deeply golden and releases easily, turn and sear the second side for 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate, skin side up. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of rendered fat from the pan.
Cook the Aromatics
- Reduce heat to medium-low. Add 1 tablespoon butter and sliced shallots. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until softened and lightly golden. Add chopped garlic and thyme sprigs. Stir for 30 seconds until fragrant without letting the garlic brown.
Deglaze and Reduce
- Pour in the dry white wine and turn the heat to medium-high. Scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Simmer for 4 to 6 minutes until the wine reduces by two-thirds, leaving about ¼ cup (60 ml) of liquid.
Braise the Chicken
- Pour in 1 cup (240 ml) of chicken stock, reserving the remaining ½ cup (120 ml). Bring to a simmer. Nestle the chicken thighs back into the pan, skin side up, along with any accumulated juices. Ensure the liquid reaches no higher than one-third of the way up the thighs to keep the skin exposed. Do not pour liquid over the skin.
- Transfer the skillet uncovered to the oven. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes. Check for doneness at 25 minutes using an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh without touching bone. Target a temperature between 175°F and 185°F (80°C to 85°C) for ideal tenderness.
Reduce the Sauce Base
- Transfer cooked chicken to a plate/sheet pan. Discard the thyme stems. Set the skillet on the stovetop over medium heat, add the reserved ½ cup (120 ml) chicken stock, and bring to a simmer. Cook for 3 to 8 minutes until reduced to 1¼ cups (300 ml).
Finish the Creamy Mustard Sauce
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the crème fraîche, Dijon mustard, and whole-grain mustard. Temper the mixture by slowly whisking in ½ cup (120 ml) of the hot reduced stock from the pan.
- Lower skillet heat to low. Whisk the tempered mixture into the skillet. Cook gently for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring continuously, until cohesive and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Do not let the sauce boil. Taste and adjust seasoning with the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and optional fresh lemon juice if needed. Stir in 1 tablespoon parsley.
Cook the Egg Noodles
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook egg noodles according to package instructions until tender. Reserve ½ cup (120 ml) cooking water, then drain noodles. Return noodles to the warm pot, add 1 tablespoon butter and ¾ cup (180 ml) of finished mustard sauce, tossing gently to coat.
Serve
- Place chicken thighs back into the skillet to warm through on the stovetop without covering the skin with sauce.
- Divide coated noodles into shallow bowls, top with chicken thighs, and spoon extra mustard sauce around the plate. Garnish with remaining chopped parsley and serve immediately.
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Notes
What to Serve with French Mustard Chicken
While the wide egg noodles do a wonderful job soaking up that rich crème fraîche and mustard sauce, a bright, snappy green vegetable balances out the meal. We love serving this dish alongside quick Garlic Almond Green Beans:- Blanch: Boil 1 lb trimmed green beans in salted water for 3 to 4 minutes until crisp-tender, then drain. Place them in an ice-water bath to stop cooking.
- Sauté: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add 1-2 minced garlic cloves and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Toss in the blanched green beans and cook until warmed through and coated.
- Finish: Transfer to a serving dish and top with ¼ cup toasted sliced almonds and a pinch of flaky salt.
Tips, Substitutions & Storage
- Crème Fraîche Substitute: High-fat sour cream or heavy cream can be used as a substitute. If using sour cream, keep the pan heat very low when stirring it in to prevent splitting.
- Wine Selection: Use a dry white wine like Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, or Unoaked Chardonnay. If cooking without alcohol, substitute equal parts extra chicken stock mixed with 1 teaspoon of white wine vinegar.
- Storage: Store the chicken, sauce, and egg noodles together in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Freezing is not recommended, as the crème fraîche and mustard emulsion will separate when thawed.
Reheating
Reheating Poulet à la Moutarde requires gentle heat to prevent the crème fraîche from splitting or the chicken skin from losing its texture.Stovetop (Best Method)
- Place the chicken thighs and sauce in a skillet or wide pan over medium-low heat.
- Cover the skillet loosely with a lid or foil and heat gently for 8 to 10 minutes until the chicken is warmed through to an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
- If the sauce has thickened significantly in the fridge, splash in 1 to 2 tablespoons of chicken stock or water to loosen it back up into a glossy coating.
Oven Method (For Crispiest Skin)
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Transfer the chicken thighs to a baking sheet or oven-safe dish, skin side up, and bake for 10 to 12 minutes until hot and crisp.
- Meanwhile, warm the sauce separately in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally, then spoon it over the chicken when serving.
Microwave (Quickest, but Softens Skin)
- Place a single portion of chicken, noodles, and sauce in a microwave-safe dish.
- Cover loosely with a damp paper towel and heat at 50% power in 1-minute intervals until hot. Low power prevents the dairy base from breaking.
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