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-friendly dinner.
This Easy Chicken Dijon is near and dear to my heart. It’s one of the first dishes my late husband and I ever cooked together, back in our early days. It was so simple and yet so elegant, and we fancied ourselves quite the gourmet chefs. We made it many times throughout the years.
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 it again 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.
Recipe Highlights
Simple preparation: Chicken Dijon may sound fancy but it’s 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.
Mouthwatering flavor and texture: The silky, creamy sauce is flavored with shallots, thyme, and tangy Dijon. It complements the browned chicken to perfection.
Naturally keto friendly: This Chicken Dijon recipe is very low in carbs and takes no special ingredients. Serve with cauliflower rice, Green Beans Almondine, or sautéed sugar snap peas for a spectacular keto meal.
Budget-friendly: Each serving costs less than 3 dollars to make!
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Chicken thighs: I like to use boneless, skinless thighs for this recipe because they cook through quickly and easily. You can also use bone-in thighs, but be aware that they will take longer to cook. If you use chicken breasts, I recommend slicing them horizontally through the middle to create two flatter cutlets.
- 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 1/2 tsp dried thyme. Or try tarragon for a slightly different flavor.
- 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.
How to Make Chicken Dijon
- Brown the chicken: Heat the butter or oil in a medium skillet, and cook the chicken thighs on both sides until cooked through. Transfer to a plate.
- Cook the shallots: Add the shallots and sauté until tender, then add the wine and cook until reduced by half.
- Add the mustard: Whisk in the Dijon and thyme, then whisk in the heavy cream. Cook until thickened.
- Assemble: Return the chicken to the pan to warm through before serving.
Carolyn’s Tips for Success
I like Dijon mustard with more kick, and find many American brands 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
More Easy Keto Chicken Recipes
Chicken Dijon Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp butter or oil
- 1 1/4 lb (566.99 g) boneless skinless chicken thighs, 4 to 5
- Salt and pepper
- 1 medium shallot, minced
- 1/2 cup (120 g) dry white wine, or chicken broth
- 1/4 cup (62.25 g) Dijon mustard
- 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
- 1/3 cup (79.33 g) 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.
Notes
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions
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.
Nutritional Disclaimer
Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I am simply recounting and sharing my own experiences on this blog. Nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice and you should consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using MacGourmet software and I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it does not affect my own blood glucose levels. I do my best to be as accurate as possible but you should independently calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them. I expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website.
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Delicious! High protein and low carb.
Thanks!
We really enjoyed this recipe, although I used breasts since I just don’t like thighs. It was great to have a chicken dish that wasn’t boring.
Great recipe will definitely make again.
Another great dinner recipe!
Love, love this dish! Comes together quickly and in one pan. My whole family loves it. Tried to make enough for lunch tomorrow, but no, they ate it all! Thanks Carolyn for this winner!
fantastic and not over powering. I cannot believe it’s only 3 CARBS! Hubby liked it but I gave him too much sauce. Not a sauce fan. Quick to come together, too. I used Stone ground Dijon. Very good!! added to my favorites.