Creamy Dijon Mustard Chicken

Ingredients

• 1 to 1 1/4 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• Salt
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil + more for lightly coating chicken
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 cup sliced shallots
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 cup water
• 4 tablespoons Dijon mustard, smooth, whole grain, or a mixture of both
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 cup heavy cream

Directions

1. Take the chicken breasts out of their packaging and season them with salt. Pull off the tenderloin from each breast and put those pieces aside. Slice each chicken breast into 3 roughly equal pieces, then rub them with a very small amount of olive oil.
2. Set the breast pieces between sheets of plastic wrap or parchment paper. Using a mallet, an empty wine bottle, or a rolling pin, flatten the chicken until it is evenly thin, about 1/4 inch thick. Do the same with the tenderloin pieces.
3. In a large, heavy-bottomed sauté pan, warm the olive oil over medium high to high heat. Add the butter and let it melt. Once the butter foams, place the chicken in the pan without packing the pieces in tightly; cook in batches if you need to.
4. Brown the chicken lightly on the first side, then flip it and brown the second side. Be careful not to cook it too long, since the thin pieces will be done fast. Transfer the chicken out of the pan and set it aside while you start the sauce.
5. Add the sliced shallots to the same pan and turn the heat down to medium. Toss them in the fat left in the pan, then cook until they have softened, about 5 to 6 minutes.
6. Pour in the white wine and raise the heat to high. Once most of the wine has cooked off, stir in the water, mustard, and dried thyme. Let the sauce simmer until it has reduced by half.
7. Turn the heat to low. Return the chicken to the pan and turn it in the sauce to coat. Take the pan off the heat, then drizzle in the cream. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning, adding more salt if needed.
8. Serve with egg noodles, rice, mashed potatoes, puréed celery root or parsnips, or keep it on its own or alongside vegetables for a low carb version.