If you're looking to whip up a creamy crème fraîche sauce to accompany perfectly tender chicken breasts, this one-pan recipe has got you covered. It's ready in just 20 minutes and seasoned with punchy mustard, fresh dill and lemon zest to ensure there's fabulous flavour in every bite. You'll also get all the tips you need to ensure the chicken breasts are prepped and cooked to perfection.
Looking for more chicken breast recipes? Try my Panko Crusted Chicken and Dukkah Chicken. Or for another crème fraîche sauce check out my Courgette & Mushroom Pasta.
The post contains additional information and helpful tips to ensure the recipe turns out great the first time. Please use the link above to jump to the recipe card at the end if you are in a hurry!
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4 reasons why you'll love this recipe:
- Creamy and delicious, seasoned with punchy mustard, fresh dill and lemon zest.
- Ready in 20 minutes.
- Uses just 10 ingredients.
- One pan recipe.
🛒 Key ingredients:
- Chicken breasts: Are tenderised first to improve the texture and make them quicker to cook.
- White wine: Choose one that's dry, crisp, and has a good level of acidity like Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, and Vermentino.
- Crème fraîche: You can use full or low-fat.
- Mustard: Both Dijon and whole grain will work. I tend to opt for Dijon because I prefer a smoother texture.
- Parmesan: Is stirred in at the end to add a punchy salty flavour.
- Dill: I recommend using fresh dill but you can use ⅓ of the quantity of dried dill.
- Lemon zest: For citrusy freshness.
Substitutions:
Note that the recipe has not been tested with all the substitutions and variations below, so the results cannot be guaranteed.
- Chicken breast: Feel free to switch this for cooked thighs or legs. You can also use leftover roast chicken.
- White wine: Use vermouth instead or for a non-alcoholic option switch the white wine for the same volume of chicken stock.
- Crème fraîche: Swap for single cream or sour cream.
Variations:
- Mushroom sauce: Add sautéed mushrooms before serving for extra umami flavour.
- Spinach: Stir some fresh spinach leaves into the sauce.
- Herbs: Switch the dill for parsley, thyme or chives.
🧑🍳 Recipe steps
*Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full ingredients list & instructions! *
Step 1: Pound the chicken breasts with a meat tenderiser until they are around 1cm or a little less than half an inch thick and season with salt.
Step 2: Place a frying pan on a medium to high heat, add oil and fry the chicken breasts for 2-3 minutes on each side. Then set aside.
Step 3: Reduce the heat of the pan to medium, add the garlic and fry for a minute or two until fragrant. Then pour in the white wine and let it simmer until reduced by half. Lower the heat and add the crème fraîche, mustard, black pepper, and water and let the sauce simmer for 5 minutes.
Step 4: Stir in the Parmesan cheese, dill and lemon zest, and add salt to taste.
Step 5: Return the chicken breasts to the pan, spoon the sauce over to cover them and serve.
🍽️ Serving suggestions
Crème fraîche chicken goes nicely with mash or new potatoes and green veg like broccoli or beans. You can also serve with pasta or rice if you prefer.
Expert Tips
- Tenderise the chicken: Please don't skip this step. It significantly improves the texture of the chicken breast and makes it much quicker to cook.
- Add the lemon juice and dill at the end to avoid muting their bright flavours.
- Add a little more water if the sauce is too thick. The amount of water you will need to add to the sauce to bring it to the right consistency may vary depending on the type of crème fraîche you use and how long you simmer the sauce. Feel free to add more if you need to.
🙋 Recipe FAQs
Crème fraîche is a cultured cream product similar to sour cream, but it has a higher fat content and a milder, less tangy flavour. It is thick, rich, and often used in cooking to add creaminess to dishes.
Crème fraîche chicken will keep in the fridge for up to 2 days and can be reheated on the stove or in the microwave.
While it is possible to freeze the sauce for up to 3 months, be aware that the texture and consistency may change upon thawing and reheating. It might become slightly grainy or separate.
Yes, you can typically substitute sour cream for crème fraîche in most recipes, especially if you're looking for a similar texture and tangy flavour. However, keep in mind that sour cream is slightly tangier and has a lower fat content, so you may need to adjust the seasoning to balance the flavours.
Crème fraîche is less likely to curdle compared to other dairy products like milk or low-fat cream because it has a higher fat content. To prevent it from curdling, ensure you lower the heat of the pan before adding it and stir continuously.
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📖 Recipe
Crème Fraîche Sauce for Chicken with Mustard and Dill
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts (Note 1)
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- 4 cloves garlic
- 150 ml white wine (Note 2)
- 400 ml crème fraîche (Note 3)
- 4 tsp mustard (Note 4)
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup Parmesan
- 12 g dill (Note 5)
- 1 lemon zest
- salt to taste
Instructions
Prepping the chicken
- Pound the chicken breasts using a meat tenderiser or rolling pin until 1cm or just under ½ inch thick and season with salt. (Note 6)
- Heat a large pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil and sear the chicken breasts for about 2-3 minutes on each side, or until they are nicely browned and cooked through. Then remove the chicken from the pan and set it aside.
Crème fraîche sauce
- In the same pan, reduce the heat to medium. Add minced garlic and sauté for about 1 minute until fragrant.
- Pour in the white wine and let it simmer for 2-3 minutes, until it is reduced by half.
- Reduce the heat to low and stir in the crème fraîche. mustard, black pepper, and water. Allow the sauce to simmer gently for about 5 minutes, allowing the flavours to combine and the sauce to thicken slightly.
- Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese. Continue to cook the sauce for an additional 2-3 minutes until the cheese melts. Then add the dill, lemon zest and salt to taste. (Note 7)
- Return the seared chicken breasts to the pan and spoon on some of the sauce to coat them evenly.
- Serve immediately with boiled or mashed potatoes and green veg.
Notes
- Chicken breast: Feel free to switch this for cooked thighs or legs. You can also use leftover roast chicken.
- White wine: Choose one that's dry, crisp, and has a good level of acidity like Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, and Vermentino.
- Crème fraîche: You can use full or low fat or substitute with single cream or sour cream.
- Mustard: Both Dijon and whole grain will work. I tend to opt for Dijon because I prefer a smoother texture.
- Dill: I recommend using fresh dill, but you can use ⅓ of the quantity of dried dill.
- Tenderising the chicken breasts: Please don't skip this step. It significantly improves the texture of the chicken breast and makes them much quicker to cook.
- Feel free to add a little more water if the sauce is too thick. The amount of water you will need to add to the sauce to bring it to the right consistency may vary depending on the type of crème fraîche you use and how long you simmer the sauce.
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