Chicken And Potatoes With Dijon Cream Sauce Recipe
You'll love mastering this classic French-inspired chicken dish that transforms ordinary ingredients into an extraordinary meal. When you're craving something elegant yet simple, this Dijon cream sauce recipe delivers restaurant-quality flavor right in your own kitchen. With just a few smart techniques, you'll create a creamy, tangy sauce that perfectly coats tender chicken and golden potatoes, promising a dining experience that's both comforting and sophisticated. Curious how to elevate your weeknight cooking?
Recipe Highlights
- A one-pan chicken and potato dish featuring a creamy Dijon sauce, combining tender chicken breasts with golden yellow potatoes.
- Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper, sear in olive oil, and cook quartered potatoes until they develop a light golden color.
- Create a rich Dijon cream sauce by mixing heavy cream and Dijon mustard, then simmer the chicken and potatoes together for 20-25 minutes.
- Ensure chicken is fully cooked by checking the internal temperature and let it rest after cooking to maintain juiciness and flavor.
- Serve the dish attractively by drizzling sauce over the chicken, garnishing with fresh herbs, and pairing with a side salad for a complete meal.
History
While chicken and potato dishes have roots in various European culinary traditions, this particular combination reflects a classic comfort food approach that's been popular in home cooking for generations.
You'll find that peasant cuisines across France, Germany, and Britain have long relied on simple, hearty meals combining protein and starch.
The Dijon cream sauce represents a more refined French technique, transforming humble ingredients into an elegant dish.
Culinary historians trace these one-pan meals back to rural kitchens where efficiency and flavor were paramount.
Regional variations emerged based on local ingredients and cooking methods, with each culture developing its own unique spin.
Today, this recipe honors those traditional cooking principles while offering a modern, accessible approach to home-style comfort food.
Recipe
Indulge in a rustic and comforting chicken and potatoes dish that brings warmth to your dinner table. This recipe combines tender chicken breasts with creamy yellow potatoes, all unified by a rich and tangy Dijon cream sauce that elevates the entire meal.
The beauty of this one-pan recipe lies in its simplicity, using minimal ingredients to create maximum flavor. The natural juices from the chicken blend perfectly with the cream sauce, while the potatoes absorb and enhance every delicious nuance of the cooking process.
Ingredients:
- 4 chicken breasts
- 2 pounds yellow potatoes, quartered
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Begin by seasoning the chicken breasts generously with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, then cook the chicken for 5-6 minutes per side until golden brown and slightly crisp. Remove the chicken and set aside.
In the same pan, add the quartered potatoes and cook for approximately 5 minutes, allowing them to develop a light golden color.
Return the chicken to the pan, then pour in the heavy cream and Dijon mustard. Stir gently to combine all ingredients, ensuring the sauce coats both the chicken and potatoes evenly. Reduce the heat to low, cover the skillet, and let everything simmer for 20-25 minutes.
During this time, the potatoes will become tender, and the chicken will cook through completely. For the best results, allow the sauce to reduce slightly before serving, which concentrates the flavors and creates a perfect consistency.
If the sauce becomes too thick, you can thin it with a splash of chicken broth or water. Ensure your potatoes are cut into similarly sized pieces to guarantee even cooking, and let the chicken rest for 5 minutes after cooking before slicing to preserve its juiciness.
Cooking Steps
You'll start by seasoning your chicken breasts generously with salt and pepper, ensuring even coverage for maximum flavor.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, adding olive oil to create a perfect golden-brown surface for searing the meat.
Carefully add the quartered potatoes to the pan, creating a flavorful base that'll become the foundation of this rustic, comforting dish.
Step 1. Season Chicken Breasts
First, gather your 4 chicken breasts and have your seasoning ready.
You'll want to pat the chicken dry with paper towels, ensuring a crisp, golden exterior during cooking. Sprinkle kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper evenly over both sides of each breast, using about 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper total.
Press the seasonings gently into the meat, creating a thin, even coating that'll enhance flavor and help develop a beautiful crust.
- Use your fingertips to distribute seasonings uniformly
- Avoid oversaturating the chicken with salt
- Ensure each breast is similarly seasoned
- Let chicken rest at room temperature for 10 minutes after seasoning
These simple steps will guarantee perfectly seasoned, deliciously tender chicken breasts.
Step 2. Heat Skillet, Add Oil
After perfectly seasoning your chicken breasts, grab a large skillet and prepare to build some serious flavor.
Place your skillet over medium-high heat, and let it warm up for about a minute. Pour in 2 tablespoons of olive oil, tilting the pan to ensure even coverage across the cooking surface.
Watch for the oil to shimmer and become slightly glossy, indicating it's ready for cooking. Carefully lay each chicken breast into the hot skillet, ensuring they're not overcrowded.
Listen for that satisfying sizzle, which means you're developing a beautiful golden-brown crust.
Cook the chicken for 5-6 minutes on the first side, looking for a rich, caramelized exterior that'll lock in moisture and create deep, complex flavors.
Step 3. Add Potatoes to Pan
Once the chicken has developed a gorgeous golden-brown exterior, it's time to introduce the potatoes to your sizzling skillet.
Carefully add the quartered yellow potatoes to the pan, ensuring they're spread in a single layer to maximize surface contact and promote even browning.
Use tongs or a wooden spoon to gently move the potatoes around, allowing each piece to caramelize and develop a slightly crisp exterior.
Cook for approximately 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking and ensure uniform cooking.
Watch for potatoes to turn a light golden color and start to soften—this indicates they're developing those delicious caramelized edges that'll add depth to your final dish.
The residual chicken fond in the pan will impart additional flavor to the potatoes during this crucial cooking stage.
Step 4. Return Chicken to Pan
Gently nestle your golden-brown chicken breasts back into the skillet with the sizzling potatoes, creating a harmonious culinary landscape where each element plays a crucial role.
Position the chicken carefully, ensuring even distribution among the potatoes for consistent heat and flavor absorption.
Your next step is critical: drizzle the heavy cream and Dijon mustard evenly across the pan.
Use a wooden spoon to softly stir and integrate the sauce, coating both chicken and potatoes. The creamy mixture will begin to meld, transforming individual ingredients into a cohesive, mouthwatering dish.
Reduce the heat to low, cover the skillet, and let everything simmer.
This gentle cooking method allows the flavors to develop, the chicken to finish cooking, and the potatoes to become perfectly tender.
Step 5. Add Cream and Mustard
With your skillet still hot from searing the chicken, you'll now transform the dish's flavor profile by introducing the creamy Dijon sauce. Carefully pour the 1 cup of heavy cream into the pan, whisking it smoothly to prevent scorching.
Next, add the 3 tablespoons of Dijon mustard, stirring vigorously to create a uniform, golden-hued sauce that will envelop the chicken and potatoes.
- Use a wooden spoon to blend the ingredients thoroughly.
- Ensure the cream and mustard are well-incorporated, creating a silky, tangy mixture.
- The sauce should have a consistent color and texture, with no visible mustard clumps.
Watch for the sauce to start bubbling gently, indicating it's ready to meld with the chicken and potatoes, infusing them with rich, complex flavors that'll elevate your entire dish.
Final Thoughts
Because this chicken and potatoes recipe combines simplicity with incredible flavor, you'll find it becoming a staple in your home cooking repertoire.
The dish's versatility means you can easily adapt it to your preferences, adjusting seasonings or swapping ingredients based on what's in your pantry. When serving, consider pairing it with a crisp green salad or roasted vegetables to round out the meal.
Pro tips for success include:
- Let chicken rest after cooking
- Use a meat thermometer to check doneness
- Watch sauce consistency carefully
- Create even potato cuts for uniform cooking
Your careful attention to technique will transform this straightforward recipe into a restaurant-worthy dinner that'll impress family and friends with minimal effort.
