Chicken Blanquette

This chicken blanquette dish is a French cuisine classic but I first had it on vacation in Mexico–made tender chicken thighs, mushrooms, onions, fresh dill and cream this creamy dish is a must try.

Okay, so boom–we were in Cancun, Mexico at my favorite resort on night one. We went to dinner and of course we were ravenous. If you know anything about Mexican time you know it’s very similar to Caribbean time–they take their time lol We ordered our meal and were patiently waiting as we nibbled on appetizers and some soup. I ordered something called the chicken blanquette because it sounded really good from the description.

When the dish finally came it was one of those “ohhhhh that looks gooood” and “you got the winner” lol I immediately sliced into the chicken and after the first bite I had some thoughts lol It seems I have been making chicken blanquette for quite some time without knowing that I was making a french classic lol One of my most popular dishes is essentially the same as this dish but with bone-in chicken thighs. The second thought was this is a chicken thigh, even though the menu said chicken breast. I was happy with that because boneless chicken thighs are more tender and flavorful in my opinion. The last thought was I need to create this at home and share it because the people have to know about this classic French dish.

This is the type of dinner you prepare when you want something cozy, familiar, comforting and most of all satisfying. For me, after a long travel day to another country, this was just what the doctor ordered and it was worth the wait. Side note–tell me why they didn’t serve it with a side dish lol I was appalled. I quickly ordered a side of mashed potatoes and it was perfect. At home I made it was white rice, also a hit.

Of course at home the dish comes together much quicker and you can make any additions or substations that you might like. The only vegetable that the recipe calls for is mushrooms, apparently you can also add carrots too, the French like that lol As for me and my tastebuds it’s gonna be spinach every time lol So, I went ahead and added that–feel free to leave it out if you’re not into it.

Okay, enough talking, let’s get into my chicken blanquette recipe.

Yield: 2 servings

Chicken Blanquette

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This chicken blanquette dish is a French classic made chicken thighs, mushrooms, onions, fresh dill and cream-- this creamy dish is a must try.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Additional Time 30 minutes

Total Time 1 hour

Ingredients

For Chicken

• 4 pieces of boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt,
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp dried parsley flakes
• 1 tbsp olive oil

For sauce

• 1 tbsp minced onion
• 1 tbsp minced tri colored bell peppers
• 1/4 cup mushrooms
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1/2 cup of heavy cream
• 1/4 cup Grana Padano Cheese, grated or parmesan cheese
• 1 sprig of fresh dill
• 1 sprig of fresh parsley
• 1/2 cup of fresh or frozen spinach

Instructions

1. Season chicken thighs on both sides, drizzle with olive oil and set aside
2. Heat a cast iron skillet on medium heat until hot and sear the chicken thighs on each side until slightly brown, about 3 minutes per side. The chicken will release from the pan and no longer stick when it's ready to be flipped
3. Remove chicken and set aside
4. Add more oil to the pan if needed and saute onions, peppers and mushrooms for 1 minute until fragrant
5. Next, add butter and heavy cream, stirring to combine
6. Once simmering, add cheese and mix well to combine
7. Season sauce with salt and pepper to taste
8. Once sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon add chicken, fresh dill, parsley and spinach
9. Simmer on medium low heat until chicken is cooked through, about 5-10 minutes depending on thickness of chicken
10. Serve with more grated cheese and enjoy

Notes

You can use chicken breasts instead of chicken thighs if desired

If you make this recipe be sure to let me know how you like it in the comments below! Also check my Instagram for daily food inspo!