Last night's dinner. Chicken Dijonnaise. The sauce is great. While the list of ingredients seems long, it's actually very easy to make. We have some leftover sauce, so we may have chicken again tonight.
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, about 6 oz each
2 shallots, finely chopped
½ cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken stock or prepared low-sodium broth
2 cloves garlic, minced
¾ cup heavy (double) cream
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard, preferably whole grain
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh tarragon or 1 teaspoon dried
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme or ½ teaspoon dried
Salt and freshly ground white pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf (Italian) parsley
In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Add the chicken breasts and sauté, turning once, until golden brown on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a warmed platter and loosely cover with aluminum foil to keep warm.
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon each butter and olive oil to the pan over medium-high heat and heat until the butter is foamy. Add the shallots and sauté until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the wine, stock, and garlic and bring to a boil. Boil until the liquid is reduced to about ½ cup, about 2 minutes.
Whisk in the cream and mustard and return to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and cook until the sauce is slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Whisk in the tarragon, thyme, and salt and white pepper to taste. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
Return the chicken breasts and any collected juices to the pan and cook just until the chicken is heated and opaque throughout, about 5 minutes, depending on thickness. Do not overcook. Arrange the chicken breasts on warmed individual plates. Spoon over additional sauce, garnish with the parsley, and serve at once.
