Pan-Seared Chicken with Peppercorn Dijon Sauce, Roasted Sweet Potatoes &Amp; Kale Apple Salad

Indulge in a French-inspired dinner that’s surprisingly simple to make at home. Tender chicken cutlets are pan-seared until golden, then draped in a velvety sauce made with shallots, crushed peppercorns, demi-glace, crème fraîche and a touch of honey Dijon. The rich, creamy sauce perfectly complements the savory chicken.

On the side, garlic-roasted sweet potato rounds add a sweet and earthy balance, while a bright kale and apple salad with dried cranberries, sunflower seeds and Parmesan cuts through the richness. This complete meal is elegant enough for a special occasion yet easy enough for a weeknight.

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Ingredients

2 unit Sweet PotatoesView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit ShallotView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon Black PeppercornsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 ounce KaleView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon Garlic PowderView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

10 ounce Chicken CutletsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Chicken Demi-GlaceView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 tablespoon Crème FraîcheView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

3 ounce Honey Dijon DressingView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit AppleView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 ounce Dried CranberriesView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 ounce Sunflower SeedsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

3 tablespoon Parmesan CheeseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 teaspoon Cooking OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon ButterView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Salt, to tasteView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Pepper, to tasteView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Adjust rack to top position and preheat oven to 425°F. Wash and dry produce. Slice sweet potatoes into ¼-inch-thick rounds. Remove and discard any large stems from kale; chop into bite-size pieces. Halve, peel and finely dice half the shallot (whole for 4 servings). Place peppercorns in a zip-close bag and crush with a heavy-bottomed pan or rolling pin.
2. In a large bowl, toss sweet potatoes with a large drizzle of oil, half the garlic powder (you’ll use the rest later), a couple big pinches of salt and pepper. Arrange on a baking sheet in a single layer. Roast on the top rack until browned and cooked through, 20-25 minutes.
3. While sweet potatoes roast, place kale in the bowl used for sweet potatoes and lightly season with salt. Using your hands, massage kale (similar to how you would knead dough) until leaves are tender, about 1 minute. (Tip: To make kale even more tender, add a drizzle of olive oil along with the salt before massaging.) Set aside.
4. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season all over with remaining garlic powder, salt and pepper. Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until browned and cooked through, 3-5 minutes per side. Tip: If chicken begins to brown too quickly, reduce heat to medium and cover after chicken is flipped. Transfer chicken to a cutting board and tent with foil. Turn off heat; rinse and wipe out pan.
5. Heat a drizzle of oil in the same pan over medium heat. Add minced shallot; cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 2-3 minutes. Add ¼ cup water (½ cup for 4 servings), demi-glace and ½ tsp crushed peppercorns (1 tsp for 4) and bring to a simmer; cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 1-3 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in crème fraîche, half the dressing (you’ll use the rest in the next step) and 1 TBSP butter (2 TBSP for 4) until butter is melted. Taste and season with salt.
6. Halve, core and thinly slice apple. To the bowl with kale, add apple, cranberries, sunflower seeds, half the Parmesan and remaining dressing to taste; toss to coat. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
7. Thinly slice chicken crosswise. Divide chicken, sweet potatoes and salad between plates. Spoon sauce over chicken. Sprinkle remaining Parmesan over salad and serve. (Chicken is fully cooked when internal temperature reaches 165°F.)

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use chicken breasts instead of cutlets?

Yes, you can use boneless skinless chicken breasts. Slice them in half horizontally to create thinner cutlets or pound them to an even thickness for quicker cooking.

What can I substitute for crème fraîche?

Sour cream or full-fat Greek yogurt can be used as a substitute, though the sauce will be slightly tangier. Add it at the end and stir gently to avoid curdling.

Can I make this dish dairy-free?

To make it dairy-free, omit the butter and use a dairy-free alternative for crème fraîche, such as coconut cream or a vegan sour cream. Skip the Parmesan or use a dairy-free substitute.