This creamy chicken crème fraîche dish is perfect for a simple weeknight dinner. Serve it with cheesy mashed potatoes and seasonal vegetables.
Tender chicken breasts are coated in a rich crème fraîche sauce with wholegrain mustard, garlic, Parmesan, and fresh parsley.
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Chicken with crème fraîche is a great go-to for a family meal, especially on Sundays when a roast is just too much fuss.
It's got a bit of a fancy feel with that creamy sauce, but it's really quick and easy to whip up with just a few ingredients.
"I've never left comments on recipes but this is one of the best online recipes I've ever found. 10/10 highly recommend." ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Cece
👩🍳 You might also like my pan-fried pheasant breasts in a creamy white wine sauce!
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✔️ Why should you try it?
- Its luxurious feel adds elegance without being too fancy.
- This dish pairs well with sides like mashed potatoes, steamed vegetables, or a light salad. The rich flavours and creamy texture make it a hit for any occasion.
- One of its best perks is the quick preparation and cooking time. It's perfect for busy weeknights when you want a satisfying and tasty meal without spending hours in the kitchen. Plus, the simple ingredients make it easy to whip up even on short notice.
- Additionally, it's versatile enough to be adapted with your favourite herbs and spices, allowing you to customize it to your taste.
"Thanks for the awesome recipe idea! This is a family favourite!" ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Jac
🥘 Ingredients
Chicken - 4 boneless and skinless chicken breasts.
Olive Oil - for browning the chicken.
Crème Fraiche - full-fat crème fraiche is best for this recipe.
Wholegrain Mustard - alternatively you could use Dijon mustard.
Garlic - 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped.
Thyme - dried or fresh.
Stock - made using a chicken stockpot or cube.
Parmesan - finely grated to give the sauce a savoury flavour.
Baby Spinach - adds colour to the dish.
🔪 How to make chicken with creme fraiche
The recipe card with ingredient quantities and detailed instructions can be found at the bottom of the post
One: Heat olive oil in a shallow casserole and brown the chicken breasts. Remove to a plate.
Two: Add the chopped garlic cloves and thyme to the pan and cook on a medium heat, stirring often, for 2 minutes.
Three: Pour in the stock and spoon in the crème fraiche and mustard and whisk the sauce on a medium heat until it becomes thick and creamy.
Four: Add the grated Parmesan and stir until melted.
Five: Add the chicken back into the pan, along with the baby spinach and simmer on a low heat for 15 minutes until the chicken is cooked.
Six: Season and serve with freshly chopped parsley.
Top Tips
- Make sure the chicken and crème fraiche are at room temperature before starting the recipe.
- Cook the sauce on a low to medium heat to prevent it from splitting. If the heat is too high, the crème fraîche can separate and ruin the creamy texture.
- After cooking, let your chicken rest for a few minutes before slicing. This helps in retaining the juices, ensuring the chicken remains moist and tender.
- If you find the sauce too thin, you can thicken it with a little flour or cornflour mixed with water. Add this mixture gradually to your sauce until you reach the desired consistency.
🍴 Serving suggestions
Serve the creamy crème fraiche chicken with mashed potato, boulangere potatoes, polenta roast potatoes or rice, and a selection of seasonal vegetables. Roasted tenderstem broccoli or roasted Brussels Sprouts both work well.
📖 Variations
- Try this recipe with pork steaks instead of chicken.
- Use chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts to cut the costs.
- Add some smoked bacon rashers to give the sauce a smoky flavour.
- Up the vegetables by adding frozen peas or green beans to the creamy sauce.
- Sprinkle over a pinch of smoked paprika on each chicken breast just before serving.
🥡 Storage
The crème fraiche chicken can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat it thoroughly in the microwave until piping hot.
Alternatively, the chicken can be frozen for up to 3 months in a freezer safe container.
❓ Frequently asked questions
Yes! Leftover creme fraiche can be frozen for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container. There is a small risk it will split, but once defrosted, just give it a quick whisk and that should restore its creamy smooth texture.
Soups and Stews: Swirl crème fraîche into soups and stews for a rich, creamy texture and a slightly tangy flavour. It's particularly delightful in vegetable-based soups or heartier stews.
Baked Goods: Use crème fraîche in place of cream or yoghurt in your baking recipes. It can add a lovely richness to cakes, scones, and pastries.
Sauces and Dressings: It's great for thickening and adding a creamy, tangy note to sauces and salad dressings. Try it in pasta sauces, on grilled meats, or as a base for a creamy salad dressing.
Dips and Spreads: Combine crème fraîche with herbs, spices, or even a bit of lemon zest to create a delicious dip for veggies or a spread for crackers and bread.
Desserts: Use it to make luxurious desserts like panna cotta, mousse, or even as a topping for fruit pies and tarts. Its rich texture pairs wonderfully with sweet and fruity flavours.
Marinades: Mix it with herbs and spices for a creamy marinade for chicken or fish. It tenderises the meat while adding flavour.
🍽️ More recipes using creme fraiche
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Recipe
Creamy Chicken Crème Fraiche
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Equipment
- Chopping Board
- Knife
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 4 Chicken Breasts
- 2 Garlic Cloves peeled and chopped
- 1 teaspoon Dried Thyme or use fresh
- 400 ml Chicken Stock
- 200 ml Crème Fraiche
- 2 teaspoon Wholegrain Mustard
- 50 g Parmesan grated
- 100 g Baby Spinach
- 2 tablespoon Parsley chopped finely
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a shallow casserole or frying pan and brown the chicken breasts. This should take 2 minutes per side on a medium-high heat. Remove to a plate.2 tablespoon Olive Oil, 4 Chicken Breasts
- Add the chopped garlic and thyme to the pan (and if you have an open bottle of white wine, a little splash will help deglaze it). Cook on a medium heat for 2 minutes.2 Garlic Cloves, 1 teaspoon Dried Thyme
- Pour in the chicken stock and spoon in the crème fraiche and wholegrain mustard. Whisk until the sauce comes together.400 ml Chicken Stock, 200 ml Crème Fraiche, 2 teaspoon Wholegrain Mustard
- Add the Parmesan and stir until it has melted into the sauce.50 g Parmesan
- Place the chicken breasts back into the sauce with the baby spinach. Simmer on a low-medium heat for 10-15 minutes, until the chicken breasts are cooked through (it will depend on the size of your chicken breasts to how long this will take). To test the chicken, slice into the middle of one breasts and make sure there is no pink colour remaining.100 g Baby Spinach
- Season and serve with the freshly chopped parsley,2 tablespoon Parsley
Notes
- Try this recipe with pork steaks instead of chicken.
- Use chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts to cut the costs.
- Add some smoked bacon rashers to give the sauce a smoky flavour.
- Up the vegetables by adding frozen peas or green beans to the creamy sauce.
- Sprinkle over a pinch of smoked paprika on each chicken breast just before serving.
Biana says
This chicken looks amazing! So flavorful, healthy and delicious and just a few ingredients needed.
Helen says
I made this using leftover double cream( bought too much at Christmas) and it tasted beautiful. I wasn’t sure whether the casserole should be covered? I did cover it. The spinach I would add last minute as it was very wilted
Cece says
I never left comments on recipes but this is one of the best online recipe I’ve ever found. 10/10 highly recommend
Courtney says
This chicken was excellent! The whole family loved the sauce - so easy to make and absolutely delicious!
Maria says
I love chicken in cream-based sauce recipes! I can see this being a regular at the dinner table. Thanks for sharing!
Lindsay says
The creaminess of this recipe is so amazing! Love the mustard flavor too.
Emily Flint says
I'm always looking for new chicken recipes and I can't wait to make this dish for my family! They will be so excited for something different and I know this is going to taste amazing!!
Jac says
Thanks for the awesome recipe idea! This is a family favourite!
Shinta Simon says
We made this today, and my family simply couldn't have enough. Highly recommended!
Bintu | Budget Delicious says
What an easy and creamy delicious dinner! I can definitely see this being a hit in my house!
Jacqueline Meldrum says
I use creme fraiche a lot but usually in pasta dishes. You've inspired me to be more creative with it.
Danielle Wolter says
I am such a huge fan of a creamy chicken recipe and this one came out so delicious. Def a fav in our house.
Katherine says
Creme fraiche, mustard, garlic, wine — what could go wrong? I made it with mashed potato and I cooked green beans in the sauce as suggested. Will def make again
Charles Lindsay says
Why are quantities not specified - how much creme fraiche etc
really strange
Beth Sachs says
Hi! The recipe card is at the bottom of the post.
Ruth says
Highly recommend this recipe, Had some crème fraiche to use up so google recipes and come across this one. Made it for my tea last night and it was so easy and tasted so good. Used Pecorino instead of parmesan was quite a strong flavour would use less next time.
Definitely be making this again. Thanks for sharing.