Chicken with Rustic Mustard Cream Sauce

Rosemary has long been considered the herb of remembrance, often associated with and used at both weddings and funerals. Sprigs were thrown into freshly-dug graves for centuries in Europe in honor of the memory of the deceased. Shakespeare even references its symbolism in Hamlet:

“There’s rosemary, that’s for remembrance; pray, love, remember: and there is pansies, that’s for thoughts. “

Rosemary is also one of the most effective spices to include in a recipe when your goal is to alert your neighbors to the fact that you’re making something for dinner that is leaps and bounds beyond whatever little handful of drizzle, grubs and flakes they’re re-heating in a plastic bag over a rusty old pot.  And here, we have a simple little recipe that sounds far more complicated than it is, but more than delivers on flavor.

Chicken with Rustic Mustard Cream Sauce

• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon whole-grain Dijon mustard, divided
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon chopped, fresh rosemary
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 4 (6 ounce) skinless,, boneless chicken breast halves
• Cooking Spray
• 3 tablespoons light mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon water
• Roesmary sprigs

Combine 1 teaspoon mustard, oil, chopped rosemary, salt and black pepper in a small bowl; brush evenly over chicken.

Coat a pan in cooking spray, pre-heat and cook chicken for approximately six minutes on each side or until done.

While chicken cooks, combine 1 tablespoon mustard, mayonnaise, and 1 tablespoon water in a bowl. Serve mustard cream with grilled chicken. garnish with rosemary sprigs, if desired. I added a runt of a baked potato and some Brussels sprouts

Serves 4.

Tags: chicken, fish and poultry, rosemary, sauce