The Hirshon French Mustard Chicken Breasts – Poulet à La Moutarde Française

Citizens – the final twilight of 2025 is darkening into an indigo-tinged night and I – the Nabob of New Year’s Eve, YOUR TFD! – have most definitely heard your unmatched adulation for old-school French cuisine! Last week, I added My version of Beef Bourguignon to the site and it swiftly SKYROCKETED like a Japanese Imperial firework into the digital Æther – you shared My recipe MORE THAN 40,000 TIMES! That’s nearly DOUBLE the old TFD record and obviously proves that I need to add more classic French recipes on here for the benefit of TFD Nation! As such, behold the OTHER great recipe from Burgundy – poulet à la moutarde Française – French mustard chicken – as a delicious way to end our 2025!

This, by the way, is the incredible Japanese Imperial firework of which I speak – HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

In My previous Burgundy recipe for beef bourguignon, I spotlighted the world-famous red wine of the region – but there are TWO more ingredients Burgundy is equally renowned for – mustard and chicken! As such, it will be unsurprising to the cognoscenti that this recipe for poulet à la moutarde Française originated in this very special province of France! First, observe this video about how My favorite brand of Burgundy mustard is made (note I did NOT say Dijon – the video explains why!):

Dijon mustard (French: Moutarde de Dijon) is a traditional mustard from France. It is named after the city of Dijon in Burgundy, which was the center of mustard making in the late Middle Ages and was granted exclusive rights in France in the 17th century. First used in 1336 for the table of King Philip VI, it assumed its current form in 1856 when Jean Naigeon of Dijon replaced the vinegar usually used in prepared mustard with verjuice, the acidic juice of unripe grapes.

The main ingredients are brown mustard seeds (Brassica juncea) and a mixture of white wine, vinegar, water, and salt designed to imitate the original verjuice. It can be used as an accompaniment to all meats, or mixed with other ingredients to make a sauce. In 2008, multinational packaged goods company Unilever, which had several mustard plants in Europe, closed the Amora manufacturing plant. Since July 15, 2009, Amora’s Dijon mustard is no longer manufactured and packaged in the town of Dijon, but rather in the neighboring town of Chevigny-Saint-Sauveur. The Grey Poupon mustard brand available in the United States actually originated in Dijon in 1866.

France requires 35,000 tons of mustard seed to make Dijon mustard and 80% of that seed is imported from Canada – mainly from Alberta and Saskatchewan where most of Canada’s mustard seeds are grown. Canadian production experienced a smaller crop in 2022 caused by a heatwave – the 2022 drought resulted in halving its usual harvest. The 2022 shortage was further exacerbated due to stockpiling by frantic consumers.

Please note that Dijon mustard does not have a protected geographical indication (PGI). A 1937 decree ruled that “Dijon mustard” can be used as generic designation and has no link to a specific terroir. However, “moutarde de Bourgogne” has a PGI, and its seeds have to be produced in Bourgogne – My preferred mustard brand of Edmond Fallot is the true moutarde de Bourgogne, but they also make a regular Dijon version so please be sure to get the right one (the link later in this post is for the correct version)! Poulet à la moutarde Française demands the real deal, IMHO!

As for the world-famous Bresse chicken of the region, this video will also quickly bring you up to speed on why they are considered the best chickens on the planet (if you speak French!):

For the English-speakers: the poulet de Bresse or volaille de Bresse is a French chicken product which has appellation d’origine contrôlée status, and which was registered as a Protected Designation of Origin under EU and UK law as Volaille de Bresse / Poulet de Bresse / Poularde de Bresse / Chapon de Bresse. It may be produced only from white chickens of the Bresse Gauloise breed raised within a legally-defined area of the historic region and former province of Bresse, in eastern France.

The chickens of the Bresse region have long enjoyed a high reputation, in poulet à la moutarde Française or in many other recipes. The lawyer, politician, epicure and gastronome Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin (1755–1826), who was born at Belley in the Ain, is supposed to have described the Bresse chicken as “the queen of poultry, the poultry of kings. The name Volaille de Bresse, used for both chicken products and for the dinde de Bresse, the turkey of the area, received legal protection on 22 December 1936; this became an appellation d’origine contrôlée (AOC) in 1957.

Today the poulet de Bresse has the reputation of being the best quality table chicken in the world. The chef Georges Blanc, who is from Bourg-en-Bresse, has been president of the Comité Interprofessionnel de la Volaille de Bresse, the association which oversees the product, since 1986. Alan Davidson described the poulet de Bresse as the “aristocrat of modern table poultry”, and Heston Blumenthal selected it for one of the dishes in his book In Search of Perfection.

Poulet de Bresse may be produced only from white chickens (the Bresse de Bény variety) of the Bresse breed, raised within a legally defined area of the historic region and former province of Bresse, in eastern France. The area is roughly rectangular, approximately 100 km by 40 km, and includes parts of the départements of Ain, Jura and Saône-et-Loire, in the regions of Rhône-Alpes, Franche-Comté and Bourgogne respectively. It lies mainly between the towns of Mâcon, Chalon-sur-Saône, Dole and Lons-le-Saunier; Bourg-en-Bresse is within the area. Lyon is not far to the south, and Dijon not far to the north.

Approximately 1.2 million poulet de Bresse birds are produced each year, about 0.1% of the total annual production of chickens in France; only about 10% are exported. The chickens are raised under strict controls. There are about 200 breeders; each must have a minimum of 0.5 ha of pasture in the area of production, and allow a minimum of 10 m2 per bird. Each bird must pass inspection by the Centre de Sélection de la Volaille de Bresse, the only breeding center for the Bresse chicken.

The birds are kept free range for at least four months. From about 35 days they are fed cereals and dairy products; the diet is intentionally kept low in protein so that the birds will forage for insects. They are then “finished” in an épinette, a cage in a darkened fattening shed, where they are intensively fed on maize and milk. Poulets or pullets are fattened for two weeks, and slaughtered at a minimum age of four months and a minimum weight of 1.2 kg; poulardes or large hens are fattened for four weeks and slaughtered at five months, when they weigh at least 1.8 kg; chapons or capons are also fattened for four weeks, and are slaughtered at eight months or more, at a minimum weight of 3 kg.

The birds are marketed with the white and red head and the characteristic slate-blue legs (all of which are the national colors of the French flag), which are traditionally a sign of authenticity. The left leg also carries a metal leg-ring with the name of the producer. Poulet de Bresse commands premium prices – in 2002, producers of poulet de Bresse received an average of €4.00 per kg (whole chicken, ready to cook); comparable prices received by producers of organic and standard chickens were €2.70 and €1.60 respectively. Retail prices are much higher; a price of £19.50 per kg was reported from London in 2011.

Poulet à la moutarde Française thus combines two of the most iconic ingredients of Burgundy, and arguably it uses *three* of them by incorporating white Burgundy wine in the recipe’s classic form. I have adapted My version of the recipe to preferably use top French white vermouth instead, as I prefer that herbal flavor profile in My version of the recipe. That said, a classic white Burgundy is ABSOLUTELY wonderful and authentic in poulet à la moutarde Française as well (this is My choice) – go with your personal preference here.

For the mustard, however, I would ONLY use moutarde de Bourgogne wherever possible – I personally use both Edmond Fallot smooth and grainy (note the grainy is NOT moutarde de Bourgogne). You can use just one or the other type of mustard in My recipe for poulet à la moutarde, as per your taste. For the chicken, I have made a major adaptation by calling for not whole chicken parts, but instead for skinless boneless chicken breasts – this is because I like it this way, and it’s My recipe! I have adapted the recipe to ensure you get properly moist breast meat, never fear!

Part of My adaptation of poulet à la moutarde Française is to flour the breast paillards (breasts split in half lengthwise, although these aren’t pounded out like a schnitzel) with a seasoned flour of My own design. Most of the ingredients are easy to find except one – dried wild ramps, a cross between wild onions and wild garlic that is absolutely SPECTACULAR and can be purchased from here. My preferred salt, as always, is Knorr Aromat – you can easily buy it from here. One way I really amp up the mustard flavor in My poulet à la moutarde Française is to use some culinary-grade mustard oil – please ONLY use this brand, others can be potentially toxic if ingested!

Conveniently, My previous posting on demi-glace will come in very handy for you now as this version of poulet à la moutarde Française calls for some – use the homemade glory if you can or buy an excellent quality poultry-only demi-glace from here. A little Maggi seasoning (European version only, please!) adds a bit of color and umami to the delectable sauce – buy it from here. I have chosen to garnish My poulet à la moutarde Française with dill fronds, or you can use fresh tarragon for a more authentically French flavor – both are really good in this dish! I also optionally gild the lily with some crushed dried wild thyme flowers from Greece – buy it from here – and some minced fresh chervil (which you can omit if you are using fresh tarragon instead of dill).

Citizens – I wish all of you a wonderful 2026 and I truly hope that poulet à la moutarde Française will become a new classic on your table!!! 😀 As always, here is what ChatGPT thinks of My recipe! 😀

Battle on – the Generalissimo

The Hirshon French Mustard Chicken Breasts – Poulet à La Moutarde Française

---

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

• Author: The Generalissimo

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• For the chicken:
• 2 lbs. skinless boneless chicken breasts
• ***
• The Hirshon Spiced Flour Blend (can be made 1 day in advance, but best made and used immediately):
• 2 tsp. all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp. dried wild ramps, crushed to a powder (can substitute garlic or onion powder, if you must)
• 1 1/2 tsp. Knorr Aromat
• 1 tsp. Herbes de Provence
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground star anise
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• ***
• 2 Tbsp. salted butter (KerryGold, or ideally high butterfat butter - 83%)
• 1/2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 Tbsp. edible mustard oil (can substitute olive oil, if preferred - but do NOT substitute other mustard oils, as they can potentially be toxic if ingested)
• ***
• For the Mustard Cream Sauce:
• 2 Tbsp. finely chopped shallot
• 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1/2 cup dry white Noilly Prat vermouth (preferred) or dry Burgundy white wine
• 1 1/2 cups homemade (preferred) or low-salt chicken broth
• 2 tsp. chicken demi-glace (the demi-glace is optional, but strongly recommended)
• 2 medium bay leaves, preferably fresh
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 2 dashes Maggi seasoning
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. grainy Dijon mustard (TFD prefers Edmond Fallon brand)
• 1 Tbsp. smooth Dijon mustard (TFD strongly prefers Edmond Fallon brand), or just use Dijon grainy mustard, or even a combo of both, as to your taste
• 1 tsp. potato starch (preferred) or corn starch
• ***
• snipped fresh dill or fresh tarragon (more authentic) for garnish - if you want to get fancy (I usually do) you can also add crushed dried thyme flowers and snipped fresh chervil as well

Get Recipe Ingredients

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

1. For the chicken: combine the spiced flour blend in a small bowl and stir to combine. Set aside.
2. Cut the chicken breasts in half horizontally. To do this, lay the breasts out on a work surface, then place your non-dominant hand on the top and slice horizontally halfway through the meat (to create two thin cutlets) with your dominant hand.
3. Lay the chicken breasts out in a single layer on the work surface and sprinkle on both sides with the spiced flour blend.
4. In a large cast iron, heavy-duty skillet or shallow brazier, melt the butter with the olive and mustard oils over medium heat until starting to sizzle a bit,
5. Add the chicken breasts, smooth sides down and cook for 4-6 minutes or until the underside is golden (if the breasts are thicker go for 5-6 minutes if thin, 4-5 should be good).
6. Flip the breasts to the opposite side and cook for another 1 minute. (The chicken will not be completely cooked at this time but will finish cooking later.) Transfer to a clean plate and cover loosely with foil.
7. For the mustard cream sauce: add the chopped shallots to the pan and sauté over medium-low heat for 1-2 minutes until softened and fragrant. Add the minced garlic and sauté for another 30 seconds.
8. Increase the heat to medium-high, stirring frequently and scraping any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook at a rapid boil or until most of the wine has evaporated.
9. Add the chicken broth, demi-glace, and bay leaves and bring the mixture to a steady low boil. Cook, uncovered for 8 minutes.
10. While the broth is cooking, combine the cream, mustard, Maggi and starch – stir vigorously with a fork until nice and smooth. This next step is totally optional, but if you like a really smooth sauce, you can strain it through a fine mesh strainer at this point, pushing on the solids until all the liquid is removed. Discard the solids, return the sauce to the pan and bring it to a boil then proceed as directed.
11. Add the cream mixture to the simmering sauce and any juice that has accumulated on the plate with the chicken. Stir until well combined. Bring back to a boil then reduce to a slow simmer over low heat.
12. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove the bay leaves and discard them. Taste and add additional salt and pepper, if needed.
13. Add the chicken back to the pan, cover the pan tightly and turn off the heat. Allow the chicken to sit, undisturbed for 5 minutes.
14. Plate the chicken, drizzle with the sauce. Garnish with herb(s) and serve immediately with mashed potatoes, steamed rice or your preferred side(s) – but make it something that can really soak up that delicious sauce!Pass extra sauce at the table.