This juicy sautéed chicken is beyond delicious and super easy to make! Smothered in a mustard sauce, this dish is ready in just 30 minutes. It’s perfect for those busy nights when you need a quick, no-fuss dinner that tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen!
Nothing taste better than juicy sautéed chicken breasts served with a quick and easy mustard sauce that is packed with savory flavor. And the mustard cream sauce is the highlight of this recipe. Just like in my recipe for Lemon Thyme Chicken with Garlic and Rosemary, sautéed chicken on the stove top is incredibly tender and juicy and pairs well with this Instant Pot White Rice, rice pilaf, homemade mashed potatoes, or roasted green beans.
Sautéing is a cooking method used when you want to cook something quickly over medium to medium-high heat using a small amount of fat. The results should be juicy and incredibly flavorful. And that is exactly what you get with this sautéed chicken in mustard sauce. Creamy and delicious, this recipe will quickly become a family favorite!
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Why This Recipe Works
1. It's super quick and easy to make. From start to finish, it only takes 30-minutes and that's including making the mustard sauce.
2. Clean-up is simple since everything is cooked in just one pan!
3. When you sauté chicken in a heavy-duty pan over medium heat, it should come out tender and juicy every single time!
🛒 Ingredients You'll Need
- Chicken Breasts - use boneless and skinless breasts. When sautéing, thin sliced breasts work best.
- Salt - helps to tenderize the meat and is also a flavor enhancer.
- Pepper - a flavor enhancer.
- Olive Oil - a healthy fat that has a high smoke point. It also adds a rich flavor.
- Chicken Broth - used to make the mustard sauce.
- Heavy Whipping Cream - adds a rich and creamy flavor and texture to the sauce.
- Dijon Mustard - the main flavor in the sauce.
- Tarragon - freshly chopped tarragon adds a depth of savory flavor to the mustard cream sauce.
Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full ingredients list & instructions!
📋 Variations
- Types of Chicken: substituting thighs works well in this recipe. Both bone in and boneless thighs or breasts taste great and pair well with the sauce.
- Olive Oil: if you have a flavored olive oil, such as garlic or rosemary, use it! It can help intensify the flavor of the dish.
- Tarragon: You can substitute 1 teaspoon of dried tarragon for 1 Tablespoon of fresh tarragon.
- Additional Ingredients to Add: mushrooms, capers, and sun-dried tomatoes tastes great when added to this recipe.
🔪 Step-By-Step Recipe Instructions
- Step 1: In a large skillet, heat 2 Tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat until hot, about 1-2 minutes.
- Step 2: Sprinkle the breasts with ¼ teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper until lightly covered on both sides. Add the chicken to skillet and sauté until cooked through, flipping every 5-7 minutes.
👩🏼🍳 Expert Tip: Do not overcook! Use a digital meat thermometer to check the internal temperature to make sure it's done.
- Step 3: Once the chicken reaches 165°F, transfer each piece to a plate, cover, and set aside.
- Step 4: Using the same skillet, add ¼ cup chicken broth whisking until reduced by half.
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- Step 5: Next, whisk in ½ cup heavy whipping cream, 2 Tablespoons of Dijon mustard and 1 Tablespoon of fresh chopped tarragon.
- Step 6: Continue to whisk the sauce until thickened, about 2-5 minutes.
- Step 7: Put the cooked breasts that have been resting back into the skillet with the sauce.
- Step 8: Drizzle the cream sauce over the chicken and immediately serve.
I would have never thought that sautéing chicken breasts on the stovetop could turn out so juicy and tender! Sautéing is a such a simple and quick method to use when you want delicious chicken quickly!
🙋🏼♀️ Recipe FAQs
Using a heavy-bottom pan, such as a cast iron skillet, helps maintain and evenly distribute heat when sautéing. Preheat the skillet on medium-high heat with oil. When hot, add the seasoned chicken breasts. Then, turn the heat down to medium and cook until lightly golden brown. Flip over the chicken and repeat. Use a digital meat thermometer and when the internal temperature reaches 165°F, remove from the pan, cover, and allow it to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
You can, yes. Butter tends to burn faster over medium-high heat, which is why I recommend using a high smoke point oil, like olive oil. To add more flavor, try sautéing chicken using both olive oil and butter!
Expert Tips
- For extra tender and juicy chicken, set it out for 30 minutes before cooking. Go ahead and add the salt and pepper so the salt can help tenderize the meat.
- If you want a less Dijon flavor and a more creamy taste, use 1 Tablespoon of Dijon mustard instead of 2 Tablespoons.
- Use a cast iron or heavy-duty stainless steel pan to maintain and balance the temperature.
- When sautéing chicken, smaller breasts work best and produce tender and more juicy results.
- Don't crank the heat up too high. Start with a medium-high heat and when you add the chicken to the pan, turn the heat down to medium. If you notice it browning too quickly, turn the heat to medium-low.
- When the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165˚F, remove it from the heat and cover loosely with foil. This lets the juices settle before you put it back in the pan with the sauce.
🥘 More Chicken Recipes You'll Love!
If you tried this delicious sautéed chicken with mustard sauce or any other recipes on my website, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below. I love hearing from you! And please leave a 🌟 rating while you're there!
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Sautéed Chicken with Mustard Sauce
Equipment
- large heavy bottom pan
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ cup chicken broth
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard
- 1 Tablespoon fresh tarragon
Instructions
- In a large skillet, heat the 2 Tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat until hot, about 1-2 minutes.
- Sprinkle the chicken breasts with ¼ teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper until lightly coated on both sides.
- Add the chicken to skillet and sauté until cooked through, flipping every 5-7 minutes. Once it reaches 165°F, transfer them to a plate , cover lightly with foil, and set aside to rest.
- Using the same skillet, add ¼ cup chicken broth whisking until the liquid id reduced by half.
- Next, whisk in ½ cup heavy whipping cream, 2 Tablespoons of Dijon mustard and 1 Tablespoon of fresh chopped tarragon.
- Continue to whisk the sauce until thickened, about 2-5 minutes.
- Add the cooked chicken breasts back to the pan with the sauce.
- Drizzle the cream sauce over the chicken and serce.
Notes
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- You can substitute 1 teaspoon of dried tarragon for 1 Tablespoon of fresh tarragon.
- Set the chicken out for 30 minutes before cooking and go ahead and add the salt and pepper so the salt can help tenderize the meat.
-
- Use a cast iron or heavy-duty stainless steel pan to maintain and balance the temperature.
-
- When sautéing chicken, smaller breasts work best and produce tender and more juicy results.
-
- Don't crank the heat up too high. Start with a medium-high heat and when you add the chicken to the pan, turn the heat down to medium. If you notice it's browning too quickly, turn the heat to medium-low.
-
- When the internal temperature reaches 165˚F, take it off the heat and cover it loosely with foil. This lets the juices settle before you put the chicken back in the pan with the sauce.
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Enter your email to receive this recipe, along with weekly food inspiration!
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