There is nothing like perfectly crisp chicken that is golden on the outside and tender on the inside! This recipe for Crispy Chicken with Mustard Cream Sauce is one of my favorites. Chicken is breaded and lightly fried to a golden brown perfection and then smothered in a delightful mustard cream sauce, it's so good you'll want to go back for seconds!
Crispy Chicken with Mustard Cream Sauce is a recipe that has become a regular staple in our dinner rotation. This recipe seems fancy, but with just a little bit of prep work and some mustard, you have one of the most delicious dinners that will please everyone at your table! First of all, let's talk about the star of the show; the crispy chicken. I start by pounding chicken cutlets to a thickness of about ½ inch which not only tenderizes them, but also makes them a uniform size so that they will cook evenly in a short amount of time. Once your chicken is pounded and seasoned, I use a standard breading procedure for getting my chicken good and coated. When you use a standard breading procedure, you start by dipping your chicken into flour, whisked egg, and finally bread crumbs. This method helps keep the breading on your chicken and creates a lovely crispy surface layer. If you’re short on time or just want to skip the breading process, this recipe is just as delicious if you simply saute your chicken without any extra breading steps. I’ve tried several combinations of fat to saute my chicken in: butter, olive oil, or any combination in between. In the end, I’ve found that good old vegetable oil is as good as it gets. Because vegetable oil has a lower smoke point, you don’t get any burning on your coating which can really ruin your chicken. For the amount of oil, I’ve tried just a couple of teaspoons of oil versus enough to do a shallow fry, and I’ve found that going right in between really hits the mark to get a good crisp without feeling too oily. Depending on your pan, you may find yourself using only 2 tablespoons of oil, or ¼ cup for a larger pan, you really just want enough for about ¼ inch of oil on the bottom of your pan. When it’s time to fry up your chicken it’s important to work in batches. If you really want a good crispy chicken, never ever crowd your pan. Chicken needs room in order to crisp up, and if it’s packed in like a crowded night club, your crumbs will only end up sad and soggy.. Once your chicken is done, it’s time to wipe your pan down and make a quick mustard sauce. Add a little olive oil and saute your garlic for about 30 seconds and deglaze with white wine. Simmer your wine down to about ¼ of what you started with and whisk in all of your remaining sauce ingredients and that’s it! I love to serve this with some roasted potatoes and a green veggie for a perfectly balanced meal, but any way you choose to serve this, you’ll be absolutely delighted. Speaking of being delighted, did you know about my not so delightful curse that was given to me in third grade? One day when I was very young and not very thoughtful, I encountered a woman on the street who seemed to be having a really hard time. She was juggling about a million things from a yapping poodle, a wet paper bag full of groceries that kept falling all over the place, her glasses kept falling off, and the list of calamities goes on. Being young and inconsiderate, I neglected to give the poor woman a hand. Instead, I passed her by with nothing but a chortle and a snide smirk on my face. Just as I was about to leave her presence, she stood upright, pointed a crooked finger at me and vowed that I would forever be cursed to take horrible school pictures. At first I shook it off and didn’t give it much thought, but a few weeks later, picture day came and my picture was so terrible my family didn't even recognize me. The next year was 4th grade and I looked like I was in the middle of a heavy sneeze. Fifth, sixth, seventh grade, etc. rolled around and I continued to have the same crooked expression. No matter how many times I tried to retake my photo, it only became worse: eyes bulged, nostrils flared, lips curled as though I had just eaten something sour. Finally, I just had to resign to the fact that I would never be trading photos with friends due to the horrid nature of my school photos. Worst of all, every one of these photos made it into the yearbook despite my pleading with the yearbook editor to just put the “not pictured” stamp in place of my photo. To this day, every time I see someone struggling who could use an extra set of hands, I jump in to help without hesitation. Tell your kids and tell your family that it pays off to give those a hand in need, and at the end of the day you can always look upon your beautiful school photo as you dine on a delicious meal of Crispy Chicken with Mustard Cream Sauce.
Cut each chicken breast into 3 individual cutlets. Slice the thinner end off, about halfway down the breast. Divide the thicker part of your chicken breast in half lengthwise so you are left with 3 cutlets that are relatively the same size.
Cover your chicken with plastic wrap. Using a meat mallet, pound your chicken into 1/2 inch thick pieces. Season on both sides with salt, pepper, and thyme (as indiciated in the chicken ingredient section). Set aside while you prepare your breading station.
To prepare your breading station, whisk together your eggs well along with 2 teaspoons of water. Pour your bread crumbs into a shallow dish and combine well with your salt, pepper, thyme, and garlic powder, and add your flour to a separate shallow dish.
This is also a good time to gather your ingredients for your mustard sauce because it goes quick from here!
Depending on the type and size of your pan, preheat 2-4 tablespoons of vegetable oil in your pan until shimmering. To bread your chicken, first coat both sides in the flour, then repeat in the egg wash, and finally the bread crumbs. Be sure that your chicken is well coated on all sides.
Put your breaded chicken pieces in your preheated pan and cook for about 3-5 minutes per side, or until you reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Set your finished chicken aside on a plate lined with paper towels, wipe down your pan adding fresh oil and repeat for the remaining chicken.
Once your chicken is finished, prepare your mustard sauce. Wipe your pan clean of any burnt bits and oil. Add a fresh drizzle of olive oil and add your garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add your wine and cook until reduced to about a tablespoon or two. Add your remaining sauce ingredients, whisk together well and serve immediately and taste for any additional salt and pepper. Enjoy!
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