Chicken Thighs with Creamy Mustard Sauce

Recipes by Ina Garten are usually fool proof and delicious.  I have several of her cookbooks and the recipes are easy to follow and have tasty results.  Tonight I made her recipe for Chicken Thighs with Creamy Mustard Sauce.  I served it with cooked penne pasta.  I did not have parsley, so I used the fresh thyme I had instead.  Everyone loved the sauce and only has few ingredients.

Chicken Thighs with Creamy Mustard Sauce

adapted from Ina Garten | Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 8 chicken thighs
• salt
• pepper
• 2 onions, peeled, cut in half and thinly sliced
• 2 Tbsp white wine
• 1 Tbsp stone ground mustard
• 8 oz crème fraîche
• fresh chopped thyme (or parsley)

Instructions:

Heat a 12 inch cast iron skillet over medium high heat.

Season the chicken thighs on both sides with salt and pepper.  Add one tablespoon of olive oil to the cast iron skillet and place the chicken thighs skin side down.  Cook for 15 minutes without moving the chicken reduce the heat to medium low if the chicken skin is browning too quickly.  After 15 minutes, turn the chicken over with tongs.  Add the sliced onions to the chicken and place some onions under the chicken thighs.  Cook an additional 15 minutes.  Test the done-ness of the thighs.  (The temperature should be 155 or 160 F). Remove the chicken to a platter when fully cooked.  If needed, cook the onions an additional minute to brown them.  Add white wine, mustard, crème fraîche and a teaspoon of salt to the skillet and stir to make a sauce.  Place the chicken breasts skin side up in the skillet and keep warm until your pasta is cooked.

Serve two chicken thighs with pasta and ladle mustard sauce over the chicken and pasta sprinkle with fresh thyme (or parsley).

Printable recipe

Peanut Butter Fruit Dip

Our church choir is back in session and to celebrate singing together again, our choir director served snacks.  This peanut butter dip was the main attraction.  We spread in on sugar cookies and decorated it with assorted fruits (strawberries, blueberries, drained pineapple, sliced bananas, chocolate chips…not that chocolate chips are fruit, but you get the idea! 😉 it was delicious.) Because my hubby mentioned it a few times later, I inquired about the recipe and Bryan was happy to share.  You will be happy to hear that it is easy to make, but does take some planning (thawed whipped topping).  I served it last night with sliced bananas and fresh strawberries.  Here is the recipe:

Peanut Butter Fruit Dip

adapted from Bryan Pitotti

Ingredients:

• 4 oz cream cheese, softened
• 2/3 cup creamy peanut butter
• 8 oz whipped topping (like Cool Whip)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Instructions:

Use a mixer and combine softened cream cheese and peanut butter in a medium mixing bowl until creamy and combined.  Add thawed whip topping, vanilla extract and powdered sugar and mix with the mixer on low at first (so the kitchen does not get covered in powdered sugar) then medium speed until combined.  Taste and adjust the dip – with more sugar or more peanut butter until it tastes how you like it.

Serve with fresh fruit or spread on sugar cookies and decorate with fruit to make mini fruit dessert pizzas.

Printable Recipe