The Best Creamy Maple Chicken Skillet
This ridiculously rich creamy maple chicken completely saves your exhausting weeknights! Tender, golden pan-fried chicken cutlets simmer fiercely in a heavy, sweet Dijon and pure maple cream sauce that takes exactly thirty minutes from start to finish.
Ingredients
- 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts sliced horizontally to make 4 thin cutlets
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons salted butter divided
- 1/3 cup warm low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 1/2 tablespoons sharp Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon pure dark maple syrup (do not use artificial pancake syrup)
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon dry Italian seasoning
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- Optional: A massive pinch of sharp cayenne pepper for heat
Instructions
- Prepare the Cutlets: Place your cold chicken breasts onto a heavy wooden cutting board. Carefully slice them entirely in half horizontally to create four even cutlets. Season both sides heavily with the coarse garlic powder.
- Sear the Meat: Drop the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter directly into a wide skillet over medium-high heat. Let the cold meat violently sizzle and brown completely undisturbed for exactly 5 minutes per side until intensely golden.
- Build the Sauce Base: Once the hot meat is completely cooked through, rapidly pull it entirely out of the pan and set it on a plate. Immediately drop in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, warm chicken broth, sharp Dijon mustard, pure maple syrup, lemon juice, and dry Italian herbs.
- Add the Heavy Dairy: Use a metal whisk to vigorously stir the bubbling pan sauce, scraping up all the savory browned bits from the bottom. Aggressively pour in the thick heavy whipping cream and let the massive skillet rapidly return to a violent boil.
- Simmer and Reduce: Gently drop the golden chicken cutlets (and any resting juices) directly back into the furiously boiling white sauce. Reduce the heat to medium-low and gently simmer for exactly 5 minutes until the heavy gravy becomes incredibly glossy and clings heavily to the meat. Serve immediately!
Notes
Dairy Warning: You absolutely must use full-fat heavy whipping cream. If you violently substitute it with thin milk or half-and-half, the sharp mustard will completely cause the boiling pan to curdle and separate.
Fixing a Watery Sauce: If your stove runs cool and the sauce is terribly watery, simply pull the meat out and let the cream boil uncovered for 3 extra minutes to evaporate the wet steam.
Storage: Let the bubbling skillet cool completely to room temperature. Store leftovers in tightly sealed glass containers in the cold refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Reheating: Reheat gently on the stovetop. If using a microwave, splash a tiny drop of cold water over the meat first to completely prevent the heavy cream emulsion from breaking.