Name: Chicken Breasts with Mustard-Cream Sauce
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 4 (6- to 8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts , trimmed; 1 1/4 teaspoons table salt , divided; 1 teaspoon pepper; 1/2 cup all-purpose flour; 3 tablespoons unsalted butter , divided; 2 shallots , sliced thin; 3 garlic cloves , minced; 3/4 cup heavy cream; 2-3 tablespoons Dijon mustard; 2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon

Why This Recipe Works

We set out to create a weeknight recipe inspired by poulet à la moutarde, a dish of chicken slowly braised in a rich, creamy mustard sauce. We started with boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Since chicken breasts are tapered, with one end thicker than the other, we gently pounded them to an even thickness to make sure that they cooked evenly. Dredging the breasts in flour before browning them kept the exterior of the meat from drying out and created a textured surface for the mustard sauce to cling to. Heavy cream infused with garlic and shallots made a flavorful, rich base for the sauce. Since Dijon mustards vary in strength, we waited to add the mustard until the chicken was cooked through. This way, we could taste the sauce and then add more mustard as desired; 2 tablespoons was the right amount for an intense Dijon, but 3 tablespoons was better for a milder one.

Before You Begin

Pounding the chicken breasts ensures even cooking. You can substitute chives or parsley for the tarragon here.

Instructions

Using meat pounder, gently pound thickest part of each breast to ¾-inch thickness between 2 pieces of plastic wrap. Sprinkle chicken with 1 teaspoon salt and pepper. Place flour in shallow dish. Working with 1 breast at a time, dredge lightly in flour, shaking off excess; transfer to plate.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and cook until lightly browned, 4 to 6 minutes per side. Return chicken to plate.

Add shallots, garlic, remaining ¼ teaspoon salt, and remaining 1 tablespoon butter to now-empty skillet and cook until shallots are softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in cream and return chicken to skillet.

Reduce heat to medium-low; cover; and cook until chicken registers 160 degrees, 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer chicken to serving platter. Whisk 2 tablespoons mustard and tarragon into cream sauce, then season with salt, pepper, and remaining mustard to taste. Spoon sauce over chicken. Serve.