Name: Skillet Chicken with Creamy Mustard Sauce
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Continental
Ingredients: 4 chicken breasts (6 oz each); 1/2 onion, thinly sliced; 2 tbsp olive oil; 2 tbsp butter; 1 tbsp flour, plus extra for dredging; 1 tsp salt, divided; 1/2 tsp pepper, divided; 1/4 tsp garlic powder; 1/2 cup white wine; 1 cup chicken stock; 2 tbsp dijon mustard; 1/2 cup heavy cream; 2 tsp fresh tarragon, finely chopped; Cooked rice

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Skillet Chicken with Creamy Mustard Sauce is a total one-pan wonder. Tender chicken breasts are quickly seared before making an easy and scrumptious mustard cream pan sauce, all in just over 30 minutes.

Skillet Chicken with Creamy Mustard Sauce plated with rice

Do you struggle with coming up with creative ideas for those boneless chicken breasts that are sitting in your freezer? That definitely happens for me from time to time. Which is why I’m always trying to think of creative, delicious AND easy ways to make chicken breasts more interesting.

The great thing about chicken breasts is that they are very flexible. They can be grilled, pan seared or roasted. But, what really elevates the humble chicken is the seasoning or sauce that accompanies it.

That’s why I love this chicken with creamy mustard sauce so much. The sauce is so flavorful and creamy, plus everything cooks in the same skillet and it’s ready in a little over 30 minutes. Served with rice and some steamed green beans or a green salad and you have a complete meal your family will love.

Overhead photo of finished Skillet Chicken with Creamy Mustard Sauce in a cast iron pan

What Makes This Recipe Great

✅ Restaurant-Worthy Weeknight Dinner – This recipe brings together everything you want in a weeknight dinner without any of the usual compromises. The chicken develops a beautiful golden crust while staying incredibly moist inside, and the sauce pulls double duty by using all those flavorful browned bits from the pan to create something restaurant-worthy.

✅ Quick to the Table – From start to finish, you’ll have dinner ready in a little over 30 minutes, making it perfect for busy evenings when you still want something special. The one-pan method means minimal cleanup, which is always a win after a long day.

✅ The Delicious Creamy Mustard Sauce – Let’s talk a little more about that creamy, dreamy sauce. It starts with sautéing some thinly sliced onion and then adding in a little white wine, chicken stock and some tangy dijon mustard. To finish it off, a bit of heavy cream gets stirred in. The result is a lusciously creamy, slightly tangy sauce that pairs with chicken so well. And, it’s even better on a bed of rice to soak up every last drop of this amazing sauce.

What to Serve with Skillet Chicken with Creamy Mustard Sauce

Oven Roasted Broccoli
My go-to for a quick side dish is usually this Oven Roasted Broccoli Recipe. It’s a healthy side dish, easy to make and it uses simple ingredients found in your pantry (or local grocery store).

Fresh Salad
Try this Field Greens Salad. It’s fresh and flavorful with an easy homemade balsamic vinaigrette, along with mouthwatering homemade croutons. Eating your greens has never been so tasty.

Fresh Green Beans
These Fresh Green Beans with Shallot Butter Sauce are sure to be a hit. The shallot mixture is just shallots, butter, salt and black pepper. Take your steamed fresh green beans, combine beans and shallot butter, and you have a beautiful and easy side dish.

Skillet Chicken with Creamy Mustard Sauce served over rice with cast iron skillet in the background

Freezing and Storing Leftovers

To Store:
Store chicken and sauce together in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. The sauce keeps the chicken moist while stored and prevents it from drying out. I put each piece of chicken in its own container for ease of reheating.

To Freeze:
I don’t recommend freezing any leftover chicken with the mustard sauce. The sauce can have a tendency to break down during the thaw cycle.

How to Reheat

Microwave Method
This is my recommended approach to reheating. It’s easy and quick. Heat in 30 to 60 second increments to ensure you don’t overcook the chicken.

Overhead of finished Skillet Chicken with Creamy Mustard Sauce in the cast iron skillet.

Recommended Equipment

Sharp Knife
Cutting Board
Measuring Spoons
Measuring Cup
Meat Mallet
Large Skillet
Whisk

Tips and Tricks

If you don’t have heavy cream or if you want the recipe to be a little lighter, you can substitute half and half. I have made the sauce both ways. I prefer the heavy cream because the flavor was a little richer. But, it was still really good with half and half.
If you don’t have dijon mustard, grainy brown mustard is a good substitute. I wouldn’t recommend regular yellow mustard.
If you don’t have chicken breasts on hand, pork chops are a delicious substitution. Cook them in the same manner as the chicken.
A good substitution for the onion is a shallot.
I use garlic powder in this recipe, but fresh garlic also works great in this recipe. Just sauté it along with the onions.
If you prefer not to use wine, add an extra half cup of chicken stock.
Pounding chicken breasts to even thickness is helpful for consistent cooking. Place breasts between plastic wrap or parchment paper and use a meat mallet or heavy pan to gently flatten them. This ensures the thin end does not overcook while waiting for the thick end to finish.

Ingredients Needed to Make Skillet Chicken

Full instructions can be found below in the printable recipe card

Boneless chicken breasts – Boneless chicken thighs are also delicious.
Onion – My preference is red onion, but yellow or white will also work.
Olive oil – The olive oil adds more flavor than vegetable oil.
Butter – I like the flavor that the butter adds as well.
Flour – Dredging the chicken in flour gives it a nice crust when they’re sautéed.
Salt
Black pepper
Garlic powder – 2 cloves of minced fresh garlic can be substituted.
White wine – The wine gives the dish a little bit of acidity. I would use a drier wine, such as sauvignon blanc or chardonnay. If you prefer not to use wine, add an additional 1/2 cup of chicken broth.
Chicken stock – I generally use regular stock, but if you want to decrease the sodium in the recipe, you can substitute low sodium stock.
Dijon mustard – The adds a mildly tangy flavor. If you don’t have dijon on hand, grainy brown mustard is a good substitution.
Heavy cream – This is what gives the sauce a nice creamy texture. If you want to cut down the fat content, half and half will cut down the fat, but still add a creamy texture to the sauce.
Fresh tarragon – Adds a subtle, sweet licorice or anise taste, with hints of vanilla, mint and pepper.
Cooked rice – White or brown rice are both delicious with the chicken and sauce.

How to Make Skillet Chicken with Creamy Mustard Sauce

Pound chicken breasts out until they’re about 1/2-3/4 inch thick.
Dredge chicken in flour that’s seasoned with salt and pepper.
Heat oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Brown chicken in oil and butter mixture about 5 minutes per side, until golden brown.
Remove chicken from skillet and cover with foil.
In same pan, add sliced onion and saute until soft and starting to brown.
Season with garlic powder.
Reduce heat to medium.
Sprinkle onions with flour, stirring to coat.
Stir in the wine and cook until wine has thickened and reduced.
Add chicken stock and stir until well combined with wine/flour mixture and starting to bubble.
Whisk in mustard until fully incorporated.
Whisk in heavy cream and bring to a bubble.
Cook until mixture has thickened slightly.
Stir in remaining salt, pepper and tarragon.
Return chicken along with any juices to the skillet, turning to coat with the sauce.
Cover, reduce heat to medium low and cook for an additional 5 minutes, until chicken is cooked through.
Serve chicken and sauce over cooked rice.

Some Of My Other Favorite Chicken Recipes

Yield: 4 servings