Pan-Seared Chicken Thighs with Mustard and Thyme Cream Sauce
Juicy chicken thighs pan-seared to golden perfection, served with a rich mustard and fresh thyme cream sauce that elevates every bite. This French-inspired chicken recipe, ready in about 30 minutes, pairs bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, salt, black pepper for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 390 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.
Ingredients
- 4 pieces (about 1.5 lbs) bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small shallot, finely minced
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
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Equipment for this recipe
Tools this recipe's steps call for, with a link to each on Amazon.
Instructions
- Step 1: Pat dry 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and season both sides with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.
- Step 2: Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Place chicken thighs skin-side down and cook for 6-7 minutes without moving until the skin is golden and crispy.
- Step 3: Flip chicken thighs and cook for an additional 6-7 minutes until cooked through and internal temperature reaches 165°F. Transfer chicken to a plate and cover loosely with foil.
- Step 4: Reduce heat to medium, add 1 small finely minced shallot to the skillet and sauté for 1-2 minutes until translucent.
- Step 5: Pour in 1/2 cup dry white wine, scraping up browned bits from the pan. Simmer for 3-4 minutes until wine reduces by half.
- Step 6: Stir in 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, 1/2 cup heavy cream, and 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves. Cook for 3-4 minutes until sauce thickens slightly.
- Step 7: Remove from heat and stir in 1 tablespoon unsalted butter until melted and sauce is silky.
- Step 8: Return chicken thighs to the pan and spoon sauce over them before serving.








