This delicate herbs de Provence chicken has a light and flavorful lemon cream sauce that is perfect for your dinner tonight!
Why This Recipe Works
Not only do you get a beautifully golden brown crust on the chicken breast, but this recipe is packed with SO much flavor.
Often, cream sauces that get built on the fond (leftover browned bits on the bottom of the pan) end up separating because the fats and cream don’t coalesce.
This recipe however teaches you the method of swirling in butter at the end so that it binds together the sauce and gives you a beautiful, full-bodied mouthfeel that isn’t oily or heavy.
What’s Goes Into the Recipe?
- Chicken. I use more delicate chicken breasts, but you can easily swap for chicken thighs if you prefer. Just make sure whichever cut you choose still has skin on it.
- Herbs de Provence. You can buy this blend in the stores, or you can make your own herbs de Provence for better control over the flavors.
- Butter. You can use olive oil instead of butter at the beginning, but not to emulsify the sauce at the end. Slice the butter early and keep it in the refrigerator until exactly when you want to use it.
- Dijon. Go for a smooth not whole grain dijon mustard. The mustard seeds in whole grain distract from the sauce.
- Chicken Stock. Try making your own chicken stock at home, or buy it at the store. Chicken broth will be lighter in flavor, but both work well.
- Garlic.
- Lemon. Pick out a plump lemon that will give plenty of juice.
- Heavy Cream.
How To Make This Recipe
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Lightly crush the herbs de Provence in a mortar and pestle or Ziploc bag to release their flavor.
In a small bowl, combine the sauce ingredients and set them aside.
Place a large sauté or roasting pan over medium-low heat and melt the butter. Place the chicken breasts skin side down into the hot butter and cook for about ten minutes or until the skin is golden brown.
Once the skin is golden, place the chicken into a preheated oven for 20 – 30 minutes, or until a thermometer placed into the thickest part of the meat is 160°F. (The internal temperature should register 165°F for chicken thighs.)
After your chicken is removed from the oven, transfer the breasts to a place to rest.
Return the pan to the burner and pour in the sauce ingredients. Bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat and let the sauce reduce by half.
Once reduced, carefully remove the pan from the heat. Remember that the handle will be hot from being in the oven!
Place the two tablespoons of cold butter into the pan and swirl it in circles while it is melting. This will help the fat from the chicken and cream bind with the lemon juice.
Return the chicken to the pan and let simmer another minute before carving or serving.
Keep in mind that the butter will only bind the sauce for the original cooking. If you refrigerate and reheat leftovers, the sauce will need this process to be done again to re-emulisfy it.
Expert Tips
- Make sure you have an oven-safe pan that goes from the cooktop into the oven. This helps preserve all the good flavors in the sauce.
- To get crispy skin on the chicken breasts, take your time and cook at a lower temperature. If you prioritize cooking quickly, the skin will burn in parts while others are still sticking to the pan because they aren’t finished.
- Keep in mind that the butter will only bind the sauce for the original cooking. If you refrigerate and reheat leftovers, the sauce needs this process to be done again to re-emulsify it.
- Make sure the butter for the lemon cream sauce is COLD. If it is room temperature it will melt too quickly and not emulsify.
- If you have a probe thermometer that is oven safe, you’ll have the best control over keeping the chicken breasts moist.
FAQ’s
Herbs de Provence is an herb mixture from southern France that was popularized by Julia Child. While there are many different variations based on family recipes or region, they all have the same basic five ingredients: thyme, marjoram, savory, rosemary, and lavender.
If you don’t have any around, swap herbs de Provence with Italian herb blend. It won’t be identical, but if you have some dried culinary lavender to throw in, it will be pretty close.
Most grocery stores sell it in their high-end spice section. Since lavender loses flavor quickly, look for one in a dark jar. This helps preserve freshness.
Related Recipes
This herbs de Provence chicken is light in flavor, so stick with light side dishes. Especially if you can utilize ones that already use the flavors in your herbs de Provence blend. Here are some of my favorites to give a try:
Creamy Herbs de Provence Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon herbs de provence
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup chicken stock
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 4 skin-on chicken breasts
- salt and pepper
- 2 Tablespoons cold butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- In a mortar and pestle or a Ziplock bag crush the herbs de Provence herb mixture until fragrant. Mix together in a small bowl with the heavy cream, chicken stock, lemon zest (not juice), and dijon mustard. Set aside
- In a pan over medium low heat, melt the butter. Place the chicken breasts skin side down into the pan and cook for 7-10 minutes, or until the skin is a deep golden brown. Flip and pour the sauce and lemon juice into the pan.
- Transfer the pan into the oven and bake for 20-30 minutes or until the thickest part of the chicken breast is 160°F.
- Remove the chicken from the oven and transfer the chicken to a plate. Put the pan over medium heat and reduce the sauce by half. Remove it from the heat and swirl in the butter to emulsify the sauce. Return the chicken to the sauce, simmer for another minute then serve.
Notes
- Make sure you have an oven-safe pan that goes from the cooktop into the oven. This helps preserve all the good flavors in the sauce.
- To get crispy skin on the chicken breasts, take your time and cook at a lower temperature. If you prioritize cooking quickly, the skin will burn in parts while others are still sticking to the pan because they aren’t finished.
- Keep in mind that the butter will only bind the sauce for the original cooking. If you refrigerate and reheat leftovers, the sauce needs this process to be done again to re-emulsify it.
- Make sure the butter for the lemon cream sauce is COLD. If it is room temperature it will melt too quickly and not emulsify.
- If you have a probe thermometer that is oven safe, you’ll have the best control over keeping the chicken breasts moist.
What are your thoughts?