If I’m ever tormented by a devil, I want it to be a French one. With a name like chicken breasts diable, I expected a firy dish with a spicy kick. In fact, I was afraid that I might have to tone it down a bit for the kids.
So I had to laugh when I read the recipe (on page 217 of Around My French Table) and realized that the “fire” in the dish came from Dijon mustard, and only 3 tablespoons for 4 servings, at that. In addition to the chicken breasts and Dijon, the recipe called for butter, olive oil, shallot, garlic, white wine, cream, Worcestershire, salt, and pepper.
This was a simple dish that came together quickly. My chicken breasts were quite thick, and even though I pounded them a bit, they took longer to cook than the recipe called for. After browning the chicken on both sides, I put them in a baking dish and slid them into the oven while I made the sauce in the pan. Then I poured the sauce over the chicken and finished baking it in the oven.
I served the chicken with Garlicky Crumb-coated Broccoli and mashed sweet potatoes.
This was an amazing dish. Spicy (not hot) and very flavorful. Even my Dad, who doesn’t like spicy food, loved it.
Maybe he was French in a previous life.
