Chicken Dijon

Just when you thought that you had run the gamut on chicken recipes I present you with (drum roll please) chicken dijon. A favorite recipe in our house, chicken thighs are browned and then simmered in a light creamy mustard sauce that is seasoned generously with tarragon.  I know it has been hot lately and you probably won't want to turn on your stove but this recipe is worth taking a bit of extra heat, if not for the flavorful and mildly tangy sauce it yields. It's a sauce that will inspire a greedy urge to mop your plate clean with a crusty piece of country bread. Yup, it's that good.

Chicken Dijon
The original recipe calls for drumsticks but I used bone-in chicken thighs which are the juiciest and most flavorful part of the chicken. Either way you simply can't go wrong with this recipe. 
Slightly adapted from Food and Wine | October 2011

• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 8 medium chicken thighs (about 3 pounds)
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
• 3 tablespoons crème fraîche or sour cream
• 2 teaspoons chopped tarragon
• Crusty bread, for serving

1. In a large skillet, toast the coriander seeds over moderately high heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Transfer the seeds to a mortar and let cool. Crush the seeds coarsely with a pestle. 
2. In the same skillet, heat the olive oil until shimmering. Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper, add them to the skillet and cook over moderately high heat, turning, until golden brown all over, about 10 minutes. 
3. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the broth and crushed coriander and bring to a boil. Keep uncovered and cook over moderately low heat until the chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a platter, cover and keep warm. 
4. In a small bowl, whisk the mustard with the crème fraîche and tarragon. Whisk the mixture into the skillet and simmer the sauce over moderate heat until thickened, about 5 minutes. Return the chicken to the skillet and turn to coat. Serve the chicken with crusty bread.