Creamy Mustard and Spinach Chicken

On busy nights when you fancy a quickly prepared meal that is luxurious and satisfying, my Creamy Mustard and Spinach Chicken may be the answer. We begin by cooking seasoned chicken tenderloins in a frying pan and then bathe them in a creamy sauce flavoured with garlic, two kinds of mustard, fresh thyme and baby spinach. It is a one pan meal that you can have on the table in 30 minutes. Dinner does not come much easier or delicious than this!

Course Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine International

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 12

Total Time 27

Servings people

Calories 509kcal

Author Alexandra Cook - It's Not Complicated Recipes

Ingredients

For the Chicken:

500 g (1.1 lb) chicken tenderloins
¼ cup (40 g) all-purpose/plain flour - use gluten-free if needed See Note 1
2 teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon unsalted butter See Note 2
2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

For the Creamy Mustard and Spinach Sauce:

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
3 large garlic cloves - finely chopped
3 cups (100 g) baby spinach leaves
1 ¼ cups (310 ml) heavy whipping/thickened cream See Note 3
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoon whole grain mustard
2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves - finely chopped
¼ cup (15 g) flat-leaf parsley - finely chopped
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper - to taste See Note 4

Instructions

Have all your ingredients prepared before you start to cook.
There is a small, white, tough tendon at the end of the chicken tenderloin. You will need to remove it with a sharp knife or a pair of scissors. There’s no need to remove it all; the tendon inside the meat is very thin and you won’t notice it after cooking but it is important to remove the larger, thicker piece. Don’t try to pull it out or the meat may fall apart.
On a large plate, mix the flour, oregano, salt and pepper. Toss the chicken in it so it is well coated. Tap off any excess flour.
In a large frying pan, heat the butter and olive oil over medium-high heat.
Add the chicken and cook for 2-3 minutes per side, or until just cooked through.
Remove the chicken to a plate and set aside. Loosely cover with foil to keep warm.
In the same pan, over medium heat add the remaining butter and melt. Add in the garlic, and sauté for 1 minute, being careful to ensure it doesn’t burn.
Add in the baby spinach leaves and allow it to wilt. This will take about 1 minute.
Add in the mustards, cream and fresh thyme. Simmer the sauce for 2-3 minutes, or until it thickens slightly.
Return the chicken to the pan and turn off the heat. Serve with the finely chopped parsley.

Notes

Gluten-free: adapt this recipe to gluten-free by using the appropriate flour.
Tablespoon: we use a standard Australian tablespoon which is 20 ml (4 teaspoons). For readers located elsewhere in the world, please use 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon for each listed tablespoon.
Cream: for a creamy texture and best flavour, use full-fat cream. Thickened/heavy whipping cream should have a minimum 35% fat content.
Seasoning: adjust the seasoning to your liking – we recommend using freshly ground black pepper and sea salt flakes for the best flavour. Proper seasoning is essential for a delicious dish that is well flavoured.
Storage: cooled leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for up to three days. Reheat gently at a low heat. As the sauce is cream based, reheating can cause it to split – adding a little additional cream can stop this from happening.
Freezing: this dish is not suitable for freezing.

Nutrition