This easy pan-seared chicken is a great weeknight dinner! It seriously tastes restaurant quality. The creamy mustard sauce compliments the broccolini perfectly!
One of my friends, who is just a couple weeks more pregnant than I am, told me that she’s like regular size pregnant, and I’m like “fun size” pregnant.
Here’s the most recent picture I could find of myself. Does this look FUN SIZE to you? Or anything involving the word fun??
Okay, so it was kinda fun to meet Chewy I guess. Kinda. (Does anyone else think it’s weird meeting characters at Disneyland as an adult? I’m like, hi stranger wearing a costume, let’s take a picture. Or maybe let’s not?) Someone was telling me about a comedian’s stint they heard (I can’t find it?) about how the characters at Disney are really just regular employees who are on probation. Walt’s like, “Until you start showing up to work on time, you’re gonna have to wear the fur suit and wave all day.” “No, please!”
Today’s recipe is adapted from my dear friend Amy’s new cookbook, Good Fast Eats. (See I TOLD you I had a ton of friends writing cookbooks!) Amy has been blogging over at BellyFull for years and years, and is an amazing cook. She lives right here in Sacramento, so unlike most of my blog friends, we get to hang out in real life (like last week when she threw me a baby shower!)
If anyone should be writing a cookbook, it’s Amy. She’s mastered the art of delicious dinners on the go. She’s got two busy kids who won’t take drive-through for an answer (well. Maybe they would, but she won’t!) and she’s compiled her favorite go-to meals in a truly awesome collection. I’m so proud of her!
Last week we made the 7 hour drive home from Disneyland and pulled up to the house a little before dinnertime. Of course there was hardly any food in the fridge, but Amy’s new cookbook was sitting in my mailbox and I started flipping through it. I saw her recipe for Easy Ground Beef Stroganoff and happened to have all the ingredients, so I threw it together in less than half an hour. It was delicious. So I really do mean it when I say the recipes Amy brings to the table are easy and fast, and often use staples so you don’t even have to run to the store.
Another example, I mentioned above that she threw me a baby shower for us Sacramento bloggers (thanks again Amy!!), and made this Chile Relleno Casserole for brunch. I had like 3 servings it was so good. Then I went home and made it for dinner that night. For real:
Lucky for you this one’s on her blog, not in the book, so you can get the recipe here. I know that photo above is just making your mouth water…ha. I swear it’s delicious.
I decided to make her Chicken with Creamy Mustard and Thyme Sauce from the book, but decided last minute to add broccolini and double the sauce. (Any excuse to double the sauce, amiright?) It turned out AH-MAY-ZING. So much flavor!
Have you ever made broccolini? I don’t know why it’s not more popular. This was my first time cooking it at home and now I’m wondering why. It’s delicious and super easy to throw together. Just like broccoli, it tastes best when blanched, which is a fancy way for saying “boil for a couple minutes.” I guess the difference is that you have to be really careful that it really is only a couple minutes–2 to be exact. Overdo it and you will get mush instead of crisp-tender awesomeness. Have your timer handy!
I can’t recommend Amy’s book enough. If you want to read more about what it’s like, visit her page about the book here. If you want to buy the book you can get it here. Congrats Amy! You’re published!
If you make this recipe, share it on Instagram using the hashtag #TheFoodCharlatan so I can see it! I love that.
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Pan-Seared Chicken and Broccolini in Creamy Mustard Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 & 1/2 pounds chicken tenderloins, * thawed
- salt and pepper
- 1/4 cup flour
- 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound broccolini, trimmed and sliced in half lengthwise
- water and salt, to blanch broccolini
- 1 tablespoons olive oil, pluse more if needed
- 1 large shallot, or 2 regular, diced
- 2 cups chicken broth, **
- 4 sprigs thyme, fresh, plus more to garnish
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons dijon mustard, or spicy brown mustard
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 170 degrees F, or the "keep warm" setting.
- Pat the chicken dry and sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper (don't be shy!)
- Sprinkle the flour over the chicken (or dredge it on a plate) to get them coated in flour.
- In a large saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, but don't crowd the pan; you want it to sear not steam. Do it in batches if your pan isn't big enough.
- Sear the chicken for 4 minutes; flip and cook another 2-4 minutes, until cooked through. Add more oil to the pan before flipping if it is dry.
- Transfer the chicken to a sheet pan or other oven safe dish and put it in the warm oven.
- While the chicken is cooking, bring a medium pot of salted water to a rolling boil over high heat. (Add at least 2 teaspoons salt. It should taste like seawater.)
- Prep the broccolini: trim about 1 and 1/2 inches from the bottom stems, and remove any leaves. Slice any larger pieces lengthwise so they are all a similar size.
- When the water is boiling, add the broccolini all at once, cover with a lid, and set a timer for 2 minutes.
- If the chicken is done and removed, add a tablespoon of oil to the hot pan over medium high heat. Transfer the broccolini from the water to the pan (careful! It will splatter). Saute for 1 minute, then remove to the pan of chicken in the oven. (If the broccolini is done before the chicken, don't leave it in the pot of water! It will get mushy. Transfer it to a bowl of cold water to stop the cooking process. Then saute as described.)
- Add the shallots to the hot pan over medium high heat. (add a bit more oil if necessary) Saute for 2-3 minutes until soft.
- Stir in the chicken broth and thyme sprigs. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 3 minutes. Stir in the cream and mustard. Simmer for 5-6 minutes, until the sauce has reduced and thickened some. Remove from heat and discard the thyme stems.
- You can either add the warm chicken and broccolini to the pan or serve on a platter with the sauce over the top.
- This would be great served with salad, bread, roasted potatoes, etc.
Notes
Nutrition
This Garlic and Rosemary Skillet Bread that I just posted would be a great side dish for this meal!
Other quick chicken recipes from The Food Charlatan!
Prosciutto-Wrapped Chicken with Asparagus << this is a huge reader favorite!
Easy Baked Pesto Chicken << this is a super quick weeknight meal.
Garlic Lime Chicken << another super easy recipe from the archives.
More chicken recipes from friends!
Honey Mustard Baked Chicken Fries from Will Cook fro Smiles
Pan Seared Chicken Drumsticks with Vegetables from The Cookie Writer
Pan Seared Chicken with Wild Mushroom Thyme Sauce from Joyful Healthy Eats
COMMENTS! There are a few comments below the recipe here, but if you are actually making this, check out THIS PIN for more reviews. You can see comments on Pinterest from people who actually tried this recipe. I wish people would come to the blog to make these comments (it would be so much easier to find!) but I don’t want you guys to miss out on more info and reviews.
I made this exactly according to the recipe. I used fresh, rather than frozen chicken tenders. The sauce is incredibly delicious. I will make this again and again. Served it with dirty rice.
ooh love the idea of serving this with dirty rice Gertrud! That sounds delicious. Thanks for your review and tips!
Calories listed anywhere?
Very nice! I love everything about this meal!
Thanks Mimi!! Love easy fall dinners!
I can’t have flour what should I use as substitute
Hey Laura! You can substitute any kind of flour, like almond or coconut flour, or you can just skip it. The chicken will still sear just fine! Great question.
I’m not a fan of mustard but find the recipe appealing. What could I use in place of mustard?
Hi Ashlye! I’m sure there are a lot of different directions you could go in flavor wise, but I haven’t tried anything but mustard in this particular dish. Let me know if you try something new!
I’M not a mustard fan either but I have honey mustard. Maybe that will work…?
Hi Barbara, it will work but will make your sauce a lot sweeter obviously. I bet it would be delicious!
There is a Facebook page that is using your photo and claiming they have the “paleo” recipe if you buy there book. I suggest reporting them, it’s called The Paleo Recipe Cookbook – Cheap and Easy.
Hmm interesting I’ll look into it Renee, thank you!
How long do you leave the chicken in the oven after you sear it on the stove?
Hey Katie! The chicken is cooked completely in the skillet. You’re putting it in the oven just to keep it warm while you finish the other steps. Hope this helps!
Yeah, I was wondering the same thing as instructions say bake in oven until done lol. I guess it should say keep warm in oven while you do the broc?
Hi Kim! The recipe states to keep the chicken warm, we are not baking it in the oven!
MORE COMMENTS: There are a few comments about the recipe here, but if you are actually making this, check out THIS PIN for more reviews:
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/117656608994571091/activity/tried
You can see comments on Pinterest from people who actually tried this recipe. I wish people would come to the blog to make these comments (it would be so much easier to find!) but I don’t want you guys to miss out on more info and reviews.
Love, The Food Charlatan :)
I made this for dinner tonight using broccoli instead of broccolini. We loved the flavor of the sauce! Great recipe, thanks so much.
Awesome Crissy! I haven’t tried it with broccoli yet but I’m sure I will eventually because I have that on hand way more often than broccolini. Thanks for testing it for me! :) And thanks for the feedback!
i just made chile relleno casserole like a couple months ago when i saw fresh hatch chiles in the store for like…two days. i bought them all…and ate them all. sorry not sorry. anyways the casserole was so good! we had it for brunch and tbh the two of us could have eaten the whole thing in one sitting. (it was in the small casserole pan, but still!) but i was good and saved a piece…until the next morning. i had never heard of the casserole before but it was so delicious and easy. her recipe is almost identical to the one i used so i know it had to be good ;)
You’re fun size and I am….. What’s bigger than king size!? Get this freaking baby out of me! 😉
This chicken looks really good. I love broccoli, how similar is broccolini?
Haha!! That’s how I feel too, king size at least!
And if you love broccoli you will love broccolini. It has a similar flavor but is a little more mild. Do it!
This looks SO good. I love the idea of a mustard sauce with the broccolini. <3
Dude. You flatter me with your awesome words and pictures about the cookbook, thank you!! I still love that you went home after the shower and made that casserole…never get enough of a good thing, right? And you are the cutest pregnant women. Ever. Even if you don’t feel like it!
Here you go. Really it’s best to read the entire chapter, starting on page 66, through til the end on page 69. (“Johnson, your department is over budget again. You know what that means.” “No! Please!” “Yes! Into the Goofy suit!” … “Ha ha, Goofy!” we would say, speaking directly into the salt shaker, which is where we figured the microphone had been hidden by the Walt Disney World Whimsy Police. “You sure are causing us to laugh with delight!”)
You look so cute! What a beautiful pregnant lady you are. This quick dinner looks so creamy and satisfying!
Awesome sauce!😀 The whole cookbook sounds amazing too.
Awesome sauce is exactly right!! Haha. Hard to beat cream sauce, seriously.