Pages

Monday, October 3, 2011

Chicken in a French Pan Sauce and Polenta Fry Fail


What a great weekend!  On Friday afternoon my 6 year old and I drove to Minnesota.  We went to see my best friend Beth and her family.  We got to go out to my favorite pizza restaurant for dinner, and see some other great friends from when we lived there.  Saturday was the start of my girls family weekend!  It was so nice to spend time with my cousins and my aunts.  There was lots of laughs, lots of good food, and lots of shopping!  This afternoon was back to reality.  Time to drive back to Iowa, and arrive in our empty house.  My husband moved to Colorado on Saturday, so this is our new normal.  It will definitely take some getting used to. Thank goodness for Skype! 

This chicken has a fancy name, but it is super easy to make.  I saw this in Cooking Light about a year ago, and I have made it many times since.  My son will even eat this!  He calls it the chicken with the really good sauce.  I couldn't get this chicken to look pretty, but trust me you need to try it.  This is one of those posts where you aren't proud of the pictures, but the food is just so good you have to post anyway! 

I recently saw Polenta Fries on another blog, I can't remember where though!  Her fries looked great.  Mine on the other hand were a mess!  I believe the recipe is good one though, you can get it here.  The herbs were too much for our taste.  The fries didn't hold their shape, as you can see in the picture.  I will try these again without the herbs, and maybe cut them skinnier so they cook better.  I love the idea of them, I want them to work 

Chicken in a Classic French Pan Sauce
Adapted from Cooking Light
Printable Recipe

1 Tbls Olive Oil
4 small boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup white wine
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 cup heavy whipped cream
1/2 tsp flour

Preheat Oven to 350. 

Heat an oven proof skillet over medium high heat.  Add oil to the pan.  Sprinkle both sides of chicken with salt and pepper.  Place the chicken in the pan.  Cook for about 4 minutes until browned.  Turn chicken over, and put the pan in the oven.  Bake for about 15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through (will vary based on thickness of your chicken). Remove chicken from pan, cover with foil and let stand while you make the sauce. 

Return the skillet to medium high heat.  Add wine and bring to a boil.  Cook for 1 minute or until it is reduced to about 2 Tbls.  Scrape the brown bits into the wine.  Stir in mustard.  Stir together heavy cream and flour until smooth.  Add to pan, and bring to a boil.  Cook until slightly thick, stirring constantly with a whisk.  Pour sauce over chicken to serve.  Enjoy!

29 comments:

  1. What a great recipe. Thank you for giving me another idea on how to cook chicken. We eat chicken at least 4 times a week. So I'm always looking for ways to dress it up. I love the polenta fries!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Easy and classy, it's my kind of recipe. I've made something similar, which we just call Chicken Dijon, but your name sounds fancier!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Yum!! I will have to try this chicken recipe. Bummer about the fries, but they look pretty darn good to me!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Sounds like a great weekend... and yes, thank goodness for Skype! We use it all the time with my sister who lives in Macedonia. :)

    With that delicious sauce, I could eat up the entire bird! DELISH!

    ReplyDelete
  5. That sauce looks amazing! It's bookmarked!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Will you be able to join your husband or is this Skype marriage going to be long term? That's so sad. :(

    I'd definitely use this dish as a self-comforter, though. I love the Dijon in the sauce, poured over the chicken. Totally comfort food.

    ReplyDelete
  7. The pan sauce sounds great, I love Dijon with chicken. I also love Cooking Light's recipes! The fries sound delicious too, although I have never been able to love polenta. I'll have to try this!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Yummy! I love polenta fries, but have never tried to make them. Full credit for trying!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Saved and buzzed and will definitely make this. Looks and sounds fantastic. Perfect for us! :)

    ReplyDelete
  10. We're heading to Minnesota this weekend. We used to live there as well and I can't wait to get back for a visit. I'm sold on the chicken based on your son's name alone. ;)

    ReplyDelete
  11. Love the polenta fries. That is an ingredient I don't find myself using often. You've inspired me to give it a try.

    ReplyDelete
  12. The chicken sounds delicious!! I love anything with Dijon mustard! :)

    ReplyDelete
  13. Mmmmm...yes, this chicken looks fabulous! And the polenta fries sound great...nice option for a side dish (they look really tasty even though they didn't hold their shape:)).

    ReplyDelete
  14. I've never had a chance to try polenta fries but sounds delicious. And the chicken recipe is a keeper in my house. Thanks for sharing easy & delicious recipe (mommy needs this!!)!

    ReplyDelete
  15. I think this looks delicious Erin! Don't sell it short. The sauce sounds great and I love the idea of the polenta fries.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Oh this sounds like a yummy chicken recipe. Polenta fries sound amazing! I need to check that out.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Wow - Erin...this looks amazing! I'm glad you had a good time with your friend....and the move is next!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Wow this looks great! this would be so comforting on a cold day. I've never had polenta fries before, cool idea!

    ReplyDelete
  19. Everytime I heard something about 'french' it sounds great in my ears. I don't know why... lol. The sauce look so taste!

    ReplyDelete
  20. Fails happen, to the very best of us. The chicken looks and sounds great. Keep at the polenta fries, I bet you'll work it out.

    ReplyDelete
  21. LOL the chicken with the really good sauce...that's so cute! I've never tried polenta fries but it's one of those things I'm interested in too. I'll have to try! Don't you just hate it when you can't make something look pretty but it's SO good? All you can do is hope that people make it anyway! I'm definitely going to try, thanks Erin!

    ReplyDelete
  22. What a great chicken dish! Sounds delicious! The polenta fries sound tasty...I bet you will figure out a way to get them perfect. Glad you had a nice weekend.

    ReplyDelete
  23. I love good chicken recipes :) And, I've never thought to make polenta fries before. What a great idea! Good luck with the distance relationship. I've done it before with my husband and it's never easy. Thinking of you.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Looks so good! Loving the polenta fries!

    ReplyDelete
  25. I'm with your son! That looks like a really good sauce for chicken. And how creative with the polenta fries!

    ReplyDelete
  26. Glad to hear u having a great weekend erin :)
    This chicken and fries looks so yummy!
    I think my son will also love it...
    Tq for sharing the recipe erin - agree with nami - mommy need this! ;)

    ReplyDelete
  27. This chicken looks tasty! Sorry to hear the fries didn't turn out, I like the idea of a polenta fry so you'll have to let us know when you get them to work out!

    ReplyDelete
  28. Oh! I love chicken with a dijon sauce. This sounds so yummy. I have never had polenta but I have never found a fry I didn't like - so pretty or not - I bet these are a hit.

    ReplyDelete
  29. What a delicious looking meal! I've never had polenta fries but every time I see them, I resolve to try them...one of these days :)

    ReplyDelete