FÊTE & FORAGE

My mom always referred to the dish as Chicken Dijon Supreme, never forgetting the supreme. I’m not sure what made it different or better than the “regular” version, but it was always a favorite at our house. To my mom, French cooking was really moving beyond the pale from the food she grew up eating. My grandmother, a native of Scotland, specialized in boiled, baked, and bland. It was the “fancy food” meal we served when company came or when she cooked a special Sunday meal.

In our house, any egg-battered, pan friend pounded chicken is a hit. I modified and “fancied” up this traditional dish to add a bit more savory salt in the bacon and green texture in the spinach greens. It’s both colorful and delicious. The key to this dish is ample sauce. The mustard cream sauce is velvety and a bit of white wine cuts the heavy thickness of the dish.

Chicken Dijon Supreme

Yields 4-6 Servings | Prep Time :35 | Total Cook Time :35

INGREDIENTS 

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
3 eggs
3 cups breadcrumbs
16 tbsp. butter for frying (continually refresh)
3 tbsp. dijon mustard
1 cup heavy cream
12 – 16 oz. baby spinach
small onion
½ lb. bacon
3 cloves garlic
white mushrooms, sliced
¼ cup dry white wine

EQUIPMENT 
  • meat tenderizer
  • plastic wrap
DIRECTIONS 
  1. In sauté pan, fry bacon to crispy. Reserve bacon grease. Chop bacon coarsely and set aside.
  2. In bacon grease reserves, fry garlic and onion on low until softened, about 10 minutes. Set aside.
  3. Melt 3 tbsp. butter in pan. Spread mushrooms so that each touches the pan. Sauté to golden brown on edges, about 10 minutes. Set aside.
  4. While mushrooms sauté, place eggs in bowl large enough to dip chicken. Blend egg.
  5. Place ample amount of breadcrumbs in second bowl large and shallow enough to dip chicken. (I like to create a 1″ “base” then spoon additional breadcrumbs over to fully coat as I go.)
  6. With 5 tbsp. butter melted and bubbling in pan, dip chicken in egg then coat thoroughly with breadcrumbs, pressing into folds. Lay chicken gently into pan.  Be sure chicken sizzles when touching pan or wait until butter continues to heat. Be sure each cutlet of chicken rests atop a small puddle of butter or spread the butter well so that it coats the underside of every piece of chicken. Refresh butter as needed.
  7. Fry chicken until golden on each side, about 5-7 minutes. Set aside and cover to keep warm. 
  8. NOTE : You may have to clean the pan between batches so that burnt breadcrumbs don’t build up on the chicken. Usually, I’m able to cook all of the chicken in three batches and I clean the pan between the second and third batch.
  9. Place mushrooms, onions, garlic, and bacon, and spinach back in pan. 
  10. Add 4 tbsp. butter and wine. Mix on medium heat until butter melts and spinach softens, about a minute.
  11. In a measuring cup or separate bowl, blend mustard and cream well. Pour into pan.
  12. Heat sauce on medium but do NOT let it boil as this will cause the cream to break.
  13. Plate chicken and pour sauce over to serve.

Chicken Dijon Supreme

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