Chicken Thighs With Mustard Crème Sauce
We were never a big fan of chicken thighs but we recently saw Ina Garten make this on her show on the Food Network and were inspired to try it – but not before we switched it up a bit. So thank you Ina for the inspiration to try something new. This is a great meal for a big crowd, and it’s warm, luscious and elegant. It’s also quite inexpensive to make, although your guests would never know. We paired our dinner with a kale and pomegranate salad and loaves of garlic bread to soak up the sauce!
Total: 45 min
Active: 20 min
Yields: 4 servings
Ingredients
8 medium bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (2 1/4 pounds)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Good olive oil
2 cups halved and thinly sliced yellow onions (2 onions)
4 tablespoons of Calvados or brandy
8 ounces crème fraiche, mascarpone or cream cheese
1 cup of vegetable stock
1 tablespoon good Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon whole-grain mustard
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Directions
Place the chicken thighs on a cutting board, skin side up, and pat them dry with paper towels. Sprinkle the chicken with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 3/4-teaspoon pepper. Turn them over and sprinkle them with one more teaspoon of salt.
Heat 1-tablespoon olive oil in a large (11 to 12-inch) cast-iron skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, place the chicken in the pan in one layer, skin side down. Cook over medium heat for 15 minutes without moving, until the skin is golden brown. (If the skin gets too dark, turn the heat to medium low.) Turn the chicken pieces with tongs, add the onions to the pan, including under the chicken, and cook over medium heat for 15 minutes, stirring the onions occasionally, until the thighs are cooked to 155 to 160 degrees and the onions are browned. Transfer the chicken (not the onions) to a plate and allow to rest uncovered while you make the sauce. If the onions aren't browned, cook them for another minute.
Add the calvados, crème fraiche (or whatever cheese you are using) Dijon mustard, whole-grain mustard, and 1-teaspoon salt to the skillet and stir over medium heat for one minute. Return the chicken, skin side up, and the juices to the skillet, sprinkle with parsley, and serve hot.
Adapted from "Cook Like A Pro" by Ina Garten © Clarkson Potter 2018.