On my last trip to Beaune, my favorite meal was this Chicken Dijonnaise from a small bistro in the center of town. The dish was served in an individual cocotte and had a thin layer of crispy cheese on top.

Chicken Dijonnaise

Ingredients

1 pound chicken thighs or breasts
Salt and pepper
All-purpose flour
Olive oil and butter
1 large shallot (chopped)
4 cloves of garlic
1/2 cup dry white wine (Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio works well)
1 cup chicken broth
2 teaspoons honey
1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 cup half and half
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 teaspoons Herbes de Provence 
3-4 bay leaves
 1 Tablespoon of flour or corn starch (to thicken)
1/2 cup of grated parmesan and cheddar cheese

Instructions

Cut chicken into medallion size pieces if using boneless, skinless breasts. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and coat with flour. In a large skillet, combine olive oil and 1 Tablespoon of butter. Cook chicken on medium heat to brown both sides. The meat doesn’t need to be completely cooked – just browned. Remove chicken and set aside in a ceramic baking dish. Add shallots to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes on low heat. Add the garlic and cook for an additional 1 minute. Deglaze with 1/2 cup of white wine and allow the liquid to reduce almost completely. Add 1 cup of chicken broth and simmer on medium-low heat. While the sauce is simmering, add Herbes de Provence, Bay leaves, and salt and pepper to taste. When the mixture has reduced by half, add half and half, heavy cream, and Dijon. Mix cornstarch or flour with a 2 Tablespoons of milk and add to sauce to thicken. Cook the sauce until thick (a few minutes) and then pour into the baking dish with the chicken. Sprinkle with parmesan and cheddar and bake in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes. Serve with mashed potatoes or pasta.