Creamy Mustard Chicken
Chef Jack Ovens
Qualified Chef · 1.63M Subscribers
Updated August 2026
Seared chicken thighs, crispy bacon and a proper dijon cream sauce with parmesan and spinach folded through. This is a proper one-pot dinner that eats like something a lot fancier than it actually is to make.
Leave the bacon fat in the pot after you pull the bacon out — that’s doing a lot of the flavour work for the onions and the base of the sauce. Don’t skip it.
Everything happens in the one pan, chicken included, so there’s minimal cleanup for how much flavour ends up in the final dish.
Creamy Mustard Chicken
CHICKEN · DINNER · MEDIUM
Why You'll Love This Creamy Mustard Chicken
Everything Cooks in One Pan
The chicken, the bacon and the sauce all come together in the same pot, so every layer of flavour from searing and frying ends up in the final sauce instead of going down the drain.
Dijon mustard gives it a sharpness that cuts through the richness of the cream, bacon and parmesan, so it doesn't end up tasting one-note or overly heavy.
It's genuinely filling enough to be a complete meal on its own, though it's also great served over mash or rice to soak up the extra sauce.
Creamy Mustard Chicken
Ingredients
- 30 ml Olive Oil
- 28 g Unsalted Butter
- 1 Brown (Yellow) Onion Diced
- 5 g Flat Leaf Parsley Chopped
- 5 Sprigs Thyme Picked & Chopped
- 5 Garlic Cloves Minced
- 200 g Streaky Bacon Diced
- 1 kg Chicken Thigh Boneless & Skinless
- 80 ml Dry White Wine
- 500 ml Thickened Cream
- 37.5 g Dijon Mustard
- 50 g Parmesan Cheese Grated
- 80 g Baby Spinach Washed
- Salt & Pepper To Taste
- Parmesan Cheese Grated
- Flat Leaf Parsley Garnish
Method
- Place a large heavy-based pot or pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, pour in 1 Tbsp (15ml) of olive oil and add the chicken thighs, doing so in batches if needed. Sear for 7 minutes on either side and season with salt and pepper. Remove from the pan and place into a bowl or on a plate to rest.
- In the same pot, add the remaining oil and bacon. Fry the bacon for 3 minutes, stirring frequently, or until golden brown. Remove the bacon from the pot with a slotted spoon, place it into a separate bowl, and leave the bacon fat in the pot for added flavour.
- Add the clarified butter and allow to melt. Add the diced onion and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes or until golden and translucent. Once golden, add the chopped parsley, roughly chopped thyme, and minced garlic, and sauté for 15 seconds.
- Pour in the wine (or vegetable or chicken stock) to deglaze, and allow to reduce for 1 minute, stirring the whole time. Add the cream and dijon mustard, mix well, and bring the sauce to a simmer. Once simmering, add the grated parmesan cheese and season to taste, mixing well. Turn the heat to low and simmer for 7 minutes, stirring frequently.
- After 7 minutes, add the chicken thighs and bacon, along with the resting juices in the bowl. Mix through well to evenly distribute the bacon and cover the chicken in the sauce, and continue simmering for 7 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 74°C (165°F). Add the baby spinach and mix through for 1 minute or until wilted. Turn off the heat.
- Serve and garnish with extra grated parmesan cheese, cracked black pepper, and extra roughly chopped flat leaf parsley. Dig in.
Chef's Tips
Sear the chicken thighs undisturbed for the full time on each side — moving them around too soon stops a proper golden crust from forming.Leave the bacon fat in the pot after removing the bacon — it's doing a lot of work, flavouring the onions and the base of the sauce.Let the sauce simmer the full 7 minutes before adding the chicken back in — this gives it time to thicken properly so it clings to the chicken rather than sitting thin in the pan.
Storage & Reheating
Will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Not recommended for freezing — the cream sauce will split and turn grainy once thawed. Reheat gently in a pan over low heat with a splash of cream or stock to loosen the sauce, stirring frequently.
Serving 500gCalories 1103kcalCarbohydrates 9.2gProtein 70.3gFat 85gSaturated Fat 42.2gPolyunsaturated Fat 6.41gMonounsaturated Fat 18.16gTrans Fat 3.2gCholesterol 300.9mgSodium 1191.7mgPotassium 1032.1mgFiber 1gSugar 5.2gVitamin A 468.03IUVitamin C 12.13mgCalcium 60.2mgIron 3.2mg
Common Questions
Can I use chicken breast instead of thigh?⌄
Yes, though thigh holds up better through the searing and simmering without drying out. If using breast, keep an eye on it so it doesn't overcook once it's back in the sauce.
How do I know the chicken is cooked through?⌄
Check the thickest piece with a meat thermometer for 74°C (165°F). Since it's seared first and then simmered in the sauce, it should reach that easily within the final cooking stage.
Can I leave out the bacon?⌄
You can, though you'll lose some of the flavour it leaves behind in the pot. If skipping it, add a touch more butter when sautéing the onion to make up for the fat.
Can I freeze this?⌄
It's not recommended. The cream sauce will split and turn grainy once thawed, so this one's best kept fresh in the fridge and eaten within a few days.
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