Description
This Slow Cooker French Wine and Mustard Chicken recipe features tender chicken breasts slow-cooked in a creamy white wine and dual Dijon mustard sauce, enriched with fresh herbs, shallots, garlic, and parmesan cheese. Served over mashed potatoes or steamed rice with kale, it’s a comforting and elegant meal that brings a touch of French bistro charm to your dinner table. The recipe offers flexible cooking methods including slow cooker, Instant Pot, or stovetop for convenience.
Ingredients
Scale
Sauce and Aromatics
- 1 cup dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc
- 1/3 cup heavy cream or canned full fat coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons grainy Dijon mustard
- 2 shallots, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced or grated
- Kosher salt and pepper, to taste
Chicken and Herbs
- 2 pounds boneless chicken breasts, skin on or off
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped sage
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
Finishing Ingredients
- 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 bunch kale, chopped
- Mashed potatoes or steamed rice, for serving
Instructions
- Prepare the sauce: In the slow cooker bowl (or a small bowl if using Instant Pot or stovetop), combine the white wine, heavy cream or coconut milk, Dijon mustard, grainy Dijon mustard, chopped shallots, minced garlic, and a pinch of kosher salt and pepper. Stir well to combine.
- Season the chicken: Rub the chicken breasts with fresh thyme leaves, chopped sage, kosher salt, and pepper evenly on all sides to infuse flavor.
- Sear the chicken: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the chicken breasts and sear for about 3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Remove from heat.
- Transfer chicken and add butter: Place the seared chicken into the slow cooker with the skin side up, along with any pan juices. Add the salted butter to the slow cooker to melt during cooking.
- Slow cook the chicken: Cover and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours, or on high for 2 to 3 hours, until chicken is tender and cooked through.
- Add kale and Parmesan: In the last 30 minutes of cooking, gently toss in the grated Parmesan cheese and chopped kale. Stir to combine so the kale wilts and the cheese melts into the sauce.
- Serve: Spoon the creamy mustard sauce over the chicken breasts, and serve alongside creamy mashed potatoes or steamed rice. Garnish with additional fresh herbs and Parmesan, if desired.
- Alternate Instant Pot Method: Use sauté to brown chicken, then add all sauce ingredients, butter, and cook on high pressure for 8 minutes. After pressure cooking, add Parmesan and kale and sauté for 5 minutes before serving.
- Alternate Stovetop Method: After searing chicken, add shallots and garlic to the skillet, then pour in the sauce mixture. Cover and simmer on low for 15 minutes. Stir in Parmesan and kale and cook for another 3-5 minutes. Adjust sauce thickness with extra wine or broth as needed.
Notes
- You can substitute heavy cream with canned full-fat coconut milk for a dairy-free version.
- Searing the chicken before slow cooking adds extra flavor and texture.
- If you prefer a thicker sauce, remove chicken and simmer sauce uncovered for a few minutes to reduce.
- Kale can be swapped with other hearty greens like spinach or Swiss chard.
- Serve with mashed potatoes or steamed rice to soak up the delicious sauce.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approx. 1/6th of recipe)
- Calories: 380 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 490 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 6 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 115 mg
