Pan-roasted chicken thighs with creamy mustard mushroom sauce and charred courgettes
Golden, skin-on chicken thighs in a tangy mustard and mushroom cream sauce with charred courgette ribbons — low-carb, rich and weeknight-friendly.
This low‑carb dinner is all about indulgence without the carbs — crispy skin-on chicken thighs join a tangy Dijon and mushroom cream sauce for maximum comfort. Quick enough for a weeknight but elegant enough for guests.
Charred courgette ribbons replace starchy sides and wilted spinach adds a bright, leafy note. It’s rich, satisfying and keeps carbs very low while delivering big flavour.
Ingredients
- 4 skin-on chicken thighs
- sea salt — to taste
- black pepper — freshly ground, to taste
- 30 ml olive oil
- 15 g unsalted butter
- 300 g chestnut mushrooms — halved or thickly sliced
- 1 brown onion — finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves — crushed
- 15 ml Dijon mustard
- 150 ml chicken stock — low-salt
- 150 ml double cream
- 15 ml lemon juice — freshly squeezed
- 150 g baby spinach
- 2 courgettes — medium, cut into ribbons or long slices
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 15 g fresh parsley — roughly chopped, to garnish
Equipment
- ovenproof frying pan
- meat thermometer (optional)
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 200°C fan / 220°C conventional.
Pat the skin-on chicken thighs very dry with kitchen paper and season both sides with sea salt and black pepper.
Heat the olive oil in an ovenproof frying pan over a medium-high hob until shimmering. Add the thighs skin-side down, leaving space between each piece, and sear until the skin is deep golden and most fat has rendered.
Turn the thighs and sear the flesh side for about 4 minutes until lightly coloured.
Tuck the fresh thyme sprigs into the pan and transfer the pan to the preheated oven. Roast until the chicken is cooked through, about 22 minutes (internal temperature 75°C).
Remove the pan from the oven and transfer the chicken to a plate. Loosely cover with foil and rest for 5 minutes.
Return the frying pan (no need to wipe out) to a medium hob. Add the unsalted butter and the sliced chestnut mushrooms and cook until deep golden, about 5 minutes.
Add the finely chopped brown onion and cook a further 3–4 minutes until softened.
Stir in the crushed garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
Whisk in the Dijon mustard and pour in the chicken stock. Simmer briskly for about 3 minutes to reduce slightly.
Reduce the heat to low, stir in the double cream and lemon juice and simmer for 2 minutes until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Season with sea salt and black pepper to taste.
While the sauce is finishing, heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a clean frying pan over a high hob. Add the courgette ribbons and char quickly for 4–5 minutes until tender and slightly blackened at the edges.
Stir the baby spinach into the sauce and wilt for about 1 minute. Return the rested chicken thighs to the pan and spoon over sauce to heat through for 1 minute.
Serve the chicken on a bed of charred courgette ribbons, spoon over the mustard mushroom cream and scatter with chopped fresh parsley.
Tips
- Pat the chicken skin completely dry before searing — that’s the difference between floppy and crisp skin.
- If your frying pan isn’t ovenproof, sear the thighs in the pan then transfer to a baking tray to finish in the oven.
- Make the sauce in the same pan as the chicken to use the fond (browned bits) for extra flavour; deglaze with the stock before adding cream.
- Leftovers keep well in the fridge for 48 hours. Reheat gently on a low hob so the cream sauce doesn’t split.
- For an even faster midweek supper, use boneless skin-on thighs and reduce oven time by 5–7 minutes — check for 75°C internal temperature.
Substitutions
skin-on chicken thighs → boneless skin-on chicken thighs, same quantity
Stays closedouble cream → single cream, same quantity (sauce will be thinner and less rich)
Noticeably differentchestnut mushrooms → button mushrooms, same quantity
Stays closeDijon mustard → wholegrain mustard, same quantity (adds texture and a nuttier bite)
Stays close
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 546
- Calories
- 36 g
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbs
- 42 g
- Fat
- 3 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
- Sugar
- 550 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I use chicken breasts instead of thighs?
Yes — breasts will cook faster and are leaner. Reduce oven time and watch closely to avoid drying out; expect a noticeably different texture.
How can I make this dish dairy-free?
Use a dairy-free cream alternative (coconut cream thinned with a little stock) and swap butter for olive oil. The flavour will change slightly but remain rich.
Is this suitable for a keto diet?
Yes — the recipe is low in carbohydrates and high in fat and protein, so it fits a ketogenic approach as written.
Can I make the sauce ahead?
Yes — make the sauce and cool, then refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Reheat gently and add a splash of stock to loosen if it thickens.
Community Photos
No photos yet
Be the first to share your creation!
