Creamy Rosemary Dijon Chicken

Creamy Rosemary Dijon Chicken is easy, elegant, and absolutely irresistible comfort food! It has simple ingredients like tender chicken cutlets, fragrant fresh rosemary, tangy Dijon mustard, and luxurious heavy cream that come together in one skillet.

Love More Chicken Recipes? Try My Sheet Pan Honey Dijon Chicken or this Creamy Dijon Chicken next.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Restaurant-quality flavor in 25 minutes – This tastes like something you’d order at a cozy bistro, but you’re making it in your own kitchen
• One skillet wonder – Less cleanup means more time enjoying dinner with your family
• Impressive yet approachable – Perfect for both weeknight dinners and when you want to wow guests without the stress
• Rich, herbaceous sauce – The combination of rosemary, Dijon, and cream creates a sauce so good you’ll want to soak up every last drop
• Tender, juicy chicken every time – Cutting the breasts in half lengthwise means they cook faster and stay incredibly moist

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Ingredients You’ll Need

For the Chicken:

• 2 large chicken breasts, cut in half lengthwise (so you get 4 thinner cutlets)
• Flour for dredging (all-purpose works perfectly)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• Salt and pepper to taste

For the Creamy Rosemary Dijon Sauce:

• 3 sprigs fresh rosemary (you’ll strip off the needles)
• 1/2 cup white wine (a dry white like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1 cup heavy cream (whipping cream)

Why These Ingredients Work

Every ingredient in this dish plays an important role in creating layers of flavor that work beautifully together.

Cutting the chicken breasts lengthwise creates thinner cutlets that cook evenly and quickly. This simple trick prevents that dreaded dry chicken situation we’ve all experienced.

The light flour coating does double duty—it creates a golden crust that adds texture and helps thicken the sauce later.

Fresh rosemary is the star of the show here with its piney, aromatic flavor. Dried rosemary just won’t give you that same punch of flavor.

Dijon mustard brings a sophisticated tang that cuts through the richness of the heavy cream. The white wine deglazes all those flavorful brown bits from the pan and adds brightness to balance the sauce.

Heavy cream ties everything together into a luscious, velvety sauce that coats the chicken perfectly. The combination of butter and olive oil for pan-frying gives you the best of both worlds—butter for flavor and olive oil to prevent burning.

Essential Tools and Equipment

• Large skillet (at least 12 inches works best for fitting all the chicken)
• Sharp knife for cutting chicken and mincing garlic
• Shallow dish or plate for flour dredging
• Tongs or spatula for flipping chicken
• Wooden spoon for stirring and scraping up browned bits
• Measuring cups and spoons

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Prep and Heat Your Pan

Heat the olive oil and butter together in your large skillet over medium-high heat until the butter melts and starts to shimmer.

While that’s heating up, cut your chicken breasts in half lengthwise so you have 4 thinner, even cutlets.

Step 2: Dredge the Chicken

Pour some flour into a shallow dish and lightly dredge each chicken cutlet on both sides, shaking off any excess.

You just want a light, even coating, not a thick layer.

Step 3: Pan-Fry the Chicken

Add the flour-coated chicken cutlets to your hot skillet. Let them cook undisturbed for about 5 minutes on the first side until they’re golden brown and release easily from the pan.

Flip and cook another 5 minutes on the second side. The chicken doesn’t need to be completely cooked through yet, it’ll finish cooking in the sauce. Remove the chicken to a plate and set aside.

Step 4: Cook the Rosemary

Strip the rosemary needles off the stems and add them to the same skillet. Don’t wipe it out—those browned bits are flavor gold!

Cook the rosemary for about a minute, stirring frequently. You’ll know it’s ready when it becomes fragrant and releases its wonderful aroma.

Step 5: Build the Sauce

Pour in the white wine, minced garlic, and Dijon mustard. Use your wooden spoon to scrape up all those delicious browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan.

Stir everything together until the sauce is smooth and well combined.

Step 6: Add Cream and Simmer

Pour in the heavy cream and stir to incorporate. Return your chicken cutlets to the pan, nestling them right into that gorgeous sauce.

Lower the heat to medium-low and let everything simmer together for 8-10 minutes. The sauce will thicken beautifully and the chicken will finish cooking through, soaking up all those wonderful flavors.

Step 7: Season and Serve

Taste your sauce and add salt and pepper as needed, so season to your taste.

Once the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F and the sauce has thickened to a creamy consistency, you’re ready to serve this beauty up.

You Must Know

The temperature of your pan matters more than you might think. If your skillet isn’t hot enough when you add the chicken, it’ll stick and steam instead of getting that gorgeous golden crust.

Wait until the butter is fully melted and just starting to foam before adding your cutlets. Don’t crowd the pan either—if your skillet isn’t large enough, cook the chicken in batches.

When you’re making the sauce, be sure to scrape up every single browned bit from the bottom of the pan when you add the wine. Those fond (fancy chef word for the browned bits) are packed with concentrated flavor that makes your sauce taste like you’ve been cooking all day.

Personal Secret: I always bring my heavy cream to room temperature before adding it to the pan. Cold cream can sometimes break or curdle when it hits the hot skillet, and room-temperature cream blends in beautifully for a silky smooth sauce every time.

Pro Tips & Cooking Hacks

• Pound it out: If your chicken breasts are particularly thick, you can also pound them to an even thickness instead of cutting lengthwise—just place them between plastic wrap and gently pound with a meat mallet
• Fresh is best: Fresh rosemary makes a world of difference here, but if you absolutely must use dried, use only 1-2 teaspoons (dried herbs are much more concentrated)
• Wine substitute: No wine? Use chicken broth with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to add that acidic brightness
• Don’t rush the simmer: Those final 8-10 minutes are when the magic happens—the chicken absorbs flavor and the sauce reduces to the perfect consistency
• Make it ahead: You can dredge the chicken and prep all your ingredients a few hours ahead, then cook when you’re ready to eat
• Avoid flour clouds: Season your chicken with salt and pepper before dredging for better flavor distribution

Flavor Variations & Suggestions

Want to switch things up? Try adding a handful of baby spinach or sliced mushrooms to the sauce during the last few minutes of cooking for extra vegetables and earthiness.

For a touch of sweetness that plays beautifully with the Dijon, stir in a teaspoon of honey along with the mustard. If you love garlic, double or even triple the amount—it mellows beautifully in the cream sauce.

Fresh thyme makes a lovely substitute or addition to the rosemary if you want a slightly different herb profile. For a lighter version, you can use half-and-half instead of heavy cream, though the sauce won’t be quite as thick and luscious.

A splash of lemon juice right at the end brightens everything up and adds a fresh zing. Some folks love stirring in a tablespoon of cream cheese along with the heavy cream for an even richer, tangier sauce.

Make-Ahead Options

This dish is best served fresh, but you can absolutely prep components ahead to make dinnertime easier.

Cut and dredge your chicken up to 4 hours in advance and keep it covered in the refrigerator. Mince your garlic and strip your rosemary needles, storing them in small containers.

When you’re ready to cook, everything comes together in that quick 25 minutes. Leftovers keep beautifully in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days—the flavors actually deepen overnight.

I don’t recommend freezing this dish since cream-based sauces can separate when thawed. You could freeze the cooked chicken separately and make fresh sauce when you’re ready to serve.

What to Serve With Creamy Rosemary Dijon Chicken

This saucy chicken is begging for something to soak up every drop of that gorgeous cream sauce.

Creamy mashed potatoes are a classic choice that never disappoints—just like Sunday dinner at grandma’s house. Buttered egg noodles or fettuccine work beautifully and twirl up all that herby goodness.

For something lighter, serve it over fluffy rice (white, brown, or even wild rice all work wonderfully). A simple side of roasted vegetables like green beans, asparagus, or Brussels sprouts adds color and a nice textural contrast.

Crusty bread for dunking is practically mandatory in my book—there’s something so satisfying about mopping up that last bit of sauce. A crisp green salad with a lemony vinaigrette on the side helps cut through the richness.

Allergy Information

This recipe contains several common allergens that you should be aware of.

The chicken is dredged in wheat flour, so it’s not gluten-free as written. For a gluten-free version, substitute with rice flour, gluten-free all-purpose flour, or almond flour for dredging.

The sauce contains dairy (butter and heavy cream), so it’s not suitable for those with dairy allergies or lactose intolerance. You could try substituting coconut cream for the heavy cream and using olive oil instead of butter, though the flavor will be different.

There are no eggs, nuts, soy, or shellfish in this recipe. The wine cooks down and most of the alcohol evaporates, but if you’re avoiding alcohol completely, substitute with chicken broth plus lemon juice as mentioned earlier.

Storage & Reheating

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The sauce will thicken as it sits, which is completely normal.

To reheat, place the chicken and sauce in a skillet over medium-low heat with a splash of chicken broth or cream to help loosen the sauce. Cover and heat gently for 5-7 minutes until warmed through, stirring occasionally.

You can also reheat individual portions in the microwave—place chicken and sauce in a microwave-safe dish, cover loosely, and heat in 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until heated through. The chicken stays remarkably juicy even when reheated, especially if you don’t overcook it the first time around.

Questions I Get Asked A Lot

Can I use chicken thighs instead of breasts?

Absolutely! Boneless, skinless chicken thighs work wonderfully and stay even more moist and tender.

They may need an extra minute or two of cooking time. Some people actually prefer thighs for their richer flavor.

My sauce is too thin, how do I fix it?

Let it simmer a bit longer uncovered to reduce and thicken naturally.

You can also whisk together a teaspoon of cornstarch with a tablespoon of cold water and stir it into the sauce, then simmer for another minute or two until thickened.

The sauce looks curdled, what happened?

This usually happens when cold cream hits a very hot pan or if the heat is too high.

Next time, bring your cream to room temperature first and keep the heat at medium-low once you add it. If it does break, try whisking in a tablespoon of cold cream off the heat to bring it back together.

💬 Tried this recipe? Leave a comment and rating below! I love hearing how it turned out for you and what you served it with.