Juicy pan-seared chicken thighs come alive in this classic Chicken Dijon recipe. With a rich, creamy sauce, this one-pan meal comes together in less than 30 minutes. Serve with your favorite cauliflower rice or mashed cauliflower for an easy keto dinner recipe.
I’ve been making this flavorful Chicken Dijon for going on 25 years now. Back when my husband and I were in our twenties, we found a really great recipe for this classic French dish and we made it frequently. We adored it!
But somewhere along the way, in all the life that happened in between, we stopped making it as often. Kids came along, jobs changed, houses were bought and sold, and we lost the original recipe. I can’t even remember where it was from.
So when I got craving Chicken Dijon recently, I had to recreate it as best I could from memory. I called upon my vastly improved cooking skills, made a few changes to suit our tastes and voila! It was just as delicious as I remember.
It’s an easy weeknight meal
Dijon Chicken sounds all fancy but it’s actually remarkably easy to make. So easy, in fact, that it makes a perfect meal for busy weeknights. You can get it on the table in less than 30 minutes.
And the flavor is out of this world! Silky and rich, but with that unmistakeable dijon kick. Many recipes call for a wimpy two tablespoons. But as far as I am concerned, that just doesn’t cut the mustard! So I used ¼ cup to give it more oomph.
I also prefer chicken thighs over breasts. They are more succulent and less likely to dry out during the cooking process. And they cook faster as well.
This Chicken Dijon recipe is naturally quite low in carbs. And served over some cauliflower rice, with some sautéed green beans or asparagus, it’s a spectacular keto meal.
Ingredients
- Chicken thighs: I like to use boneless, skinless thighs for this recipe because they cook through easily in the pan. You can also use bone-in thighs, but be aware that they will take longer to cook. Chicken breasts can dry out too easily, in my opinion.
- Shallots: Shallots are milder than garlic or onion, so they add flavor without overpowering the Dijon.
- White wine: A little wine helps to deglaze the pan and adds depth to the sauce, but you can also use chicken broth.
- Dijon mustard: Choose a mustard that has a bit of kick to it, so that it stands out in the sauce.
- Thyme: I like fresh thyme for this recipe, but you can also use ½ teaspoon dried thyme. Or try tarragon.
- Heavy cream: This makes the sauce creamy and helps it thicken properly. You can use coconut cream for dairy-free.
- Pantry staples: Butter or oil, salt, and pepper.
Step by step directions
1. Heat the butter or oil in a medium skillet over medium high heat and cook the thighs on 5 to 6 minutes per side, until nicely browned and fully cooked through. Transfer to a plate, tent with foil, and remove all but 2 tablespoons of fat in pan.
2. Add the shallots to the pan and sauté until tender, 1 minutes. Add the wine, bring to a simmer, and cook until reduced by half, about 2 minutes.
3. Whisk in the Dijon and thyme leaves, then whisk in the heavy cream and cook until thickened to your liking, 2 to 3 more minutes.
4. Return the chicken to the pan to warm through before serving.
Expert Tips
I like Dijon mustard with more kick, and many American brands are too mild. Maille is a French brand that has a little more punch, so I often grab that. But if you enjoy milder flavors, feel free to use the brand you like most.
Boneless thighs are usually folded up when they come out of the package. If you unfold them and spread them out, they will cook through much faster. Use a meat thermometer and make sure the thighs reach 165ºF.
In general, mustard is a great condiment for keto recipes. Most mustard, including Dijon, has 0g of carbs per teaspoon so you can use as much as you like. But do be sure to check your labels as some flavored mustards may contain sugar or honey.
Dijon mustard is made with brown mustard seeds, which give it a stronger, spicier flavor than yellow mustard. However, the cream in this Chicken Dijon recipe tones down the spice and makes it more mellow.
This Keto Chicken Dijon recipe has 3g of carbs and 0.9g of fiber. That means that it has only 2.1g net carbs per serving.
Chicken Dijon Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter or oil
- 1 ¼ lb boneless skinless chicken thighs 4 to 5
- Salt and pepper
- 1 medium shallot minced
- ½ cup dry white wine or chicken broth
- ¼ cup Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- ⅓ cup heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- Pat the chicken thighs dry and sprinkle both sides generously with salt and pepper.
- Heat the butter or oil in a medium skillet over medium high heat and cook the thighs on 5 to 7 minutes per side, until nicely browned and fully cooked through. Transfer to a plate, tent with foil, and remove all but 2 tablespoons of fat in pan.
- Add the shallots to the pan and sauté until tender, 1 minutes. Add the wine, bring to a simmer, and cook until reduced by half, about 2 minutes.
- Whisk in the Dijon and thyme leaves, then whisk in the heavy cream and cook until thickened to your liking, 2 to 3 more minutes.
- Add the chicken back to the pan to warm through before serving.
Susan says
This was easy and delicious! I followed the recipe exactly other than that I used a little more chicken than was called for. It turned out perfect and was very quick.
Carolyn says
Wonderful!
Betty Calagoure says
I making this dish for the second time, the family loves it! This time I added some mushrooms with the shallots for a little depth of flavour in the sauce. Yum!
Sigi says
I found a lonely chicken drumstick in the freezer the other day from my beginning of low carb. The cookbooks I looked at at the time were very meat heavy (for a vegetarian). Luckily I found lots of vegetarian and vegan options later.
I have to say this was very easy and quick as well as delicious.
The timing to send this recipe was perfect Carolyn!
Thanks and greetings from Aotearoa New Zealand
Carolyn says
Glad it worked out so well!
Annmarie says
Looks delicious. I’m going to try this in the crockpot tonight. Always looking for easy meals to have ready when I get home from work.
Carolyn says
I am not sure how well this will do in a crockpot… let me know what you think.
Annmarie says
Turned out great in the crockpot! Served over cauliflower rice and side of green beans. Even the non keto hubby loved it ❤️
Thanks for all you do!
Sherry Dillinger says
Looks delicious. I’m dairy free, so could I substitute coconut cream for the whipping cream in this recipe?
Carolyn says
Please read the blog post, as I already addressed this! 🙂
Jody K says
Think this is on the menu soon with spaghetti squash
Carolyn says
Great choice!
Pam Curl says
Wow, this looks great. Will be making this sometime this week for sure!
Carolyn says
Enjoy!