Poulet Moutarde (French Mustard Chicken)

In a small bowl, mix together the Dijon mustard, paprika, salt, and pepper to create a marinade.

Pat the chicken dry and rub the marinade all over each piece. Let it marinate for at least 3 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.

Heat neutral oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken pieces, skin-side down first, until golden brown on all sides. Work in batches if necessary. Remove the chicken and set aside.

In the same pan, add the chopped bacon and cook until crispy.

Add the diced onion to the pan with the bacon and its rendered fat. Sauté until the onion is soft and translucent.

Stir in the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30-60 seconds.

Pour in the dry white wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Allow the wine to simmer and reduce by about half.

Stir in the chicken stock and heavy cream to form the base of the sauce.

Add the fresh thyme sprigs and return the seared chicken to the pan, nestling the pieces into the sauce.

Bring the sauce to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and let it cook for 45 minutes, or until the chicken is tender and cooked through.

To finish the sauce, remove the chicken from the pan and stir in the whole grain Dijon mustard.

Return the chicken to the pan to coat in the finished sauce. Serve hot, garnished with fresh parsley if desired.