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Cajun Mustard Chicken with Farro

A skillet supper pairs warmly spiced chicken and a tangy Dijon cream sauce with chewy farro and crisp green beans.

Cajun-spiced chicken in mustard cream sauce is served with farro and green beans.

The farro simmers while the chicken sears, so its nutty base is ready by the time the skillet sauce comes together. Cajun-style spices bring warmth and paprika color, while Dijon and lemon keep the plate lively.

A thermometer makes the chicken timing practical: breasts vary in thickness, so each piece leaves the pan when its center reaches 165 F.

Let the grains set the pace

Pearled farro generally becomes tender in about 25 minutes, which gives the cook a useful window for seasoning and searing the chicken. Start it first, then check for a tender center with a slight chew; drain any extra stock before finishing with butter and lemon.

Brown the spice coating carefully

Dry chicken browns more readily, and a single uncrowded layer helps the skillet build a flavorful crust. The paprika and dried herbs can darken quickly, so turn the heat down if they approach black; the chicken can finish at a gentler temperature without losing the browned fond.

Seasoned chicken breasts brown in a skillet while farro simmers in a saucepan. — Cajun-seasoned chicken sears beside the saucepan of simmering farro.

Use temperature, not color, for doneness

A browned exterior does not tell you whether the center is cooked. Insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of each breast and remove pieces individually at 165 F, since thinner pieces may finish sooner.

Turn skillet fond into sauce

After the beans leave the skillet, shallot softens in the remaining savory coating. Stock loosens the browned bits; Dijon adds tang and cream rounds the sauce, which should simmer gently until it coats a spoon rather than reduce into a thick paste.

A cut chicken breast shows a cooked juicy center beneath glossy mustard sauce. — The finished chicken is coated in glossy mustard cream sauce beside farro and green beans.

Build a balanced plate

Butter, parsley, and lemon give the farro enough lift to stand up to the mustard sauce. Serve the green beans while they still have a little snap, and spoon the sauce over the chicken with a small amount flowing onto the grains.

Cajun Mustard Chicken with Farro

4 servings

50 minutes total

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups pearled farro, rinsed
• 3 cups low-sodium chicken stock, divided
• 1 1/2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 1/4 tsp kosher salt, divided
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 3/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp neutral oil
• 1 small shallot, finely minced
• 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 8 oz green beans, trimmed
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Method

Start the farro
Combine the rinsed farro, 2 1/2 cups chicken stock, and 1/2 tsp salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, then cover and simmer gently until tender but pleasantly chewy, about 25 minutes.
Look for: After boiling, the simmer is steady but not vigorous. The farro is tender with a slight chew and little or no liquid remains.
Season the chicken
While the farro heats, pat the chicken dry. Stir paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, cayenne, black pepper, and 1/2 tsp salt together, then coat all sides of the chicken evenly.
Look for: The spice blend is evenly distributed with no bare patches. The chicken surfaces are dry before seasoning, which helps them brown.
Sear the first side
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Lay in the chicken without crowding and sear without moving until deeply browned underneath, about 5 minutes.
Look for: The oil shimmers but is not smoking. The chicken releases from the skillet when its underside is browned.
Cook through gently
Turn the chicken and cook 4 to 7 minutes more, lowering the heat to medium if the spices darken quickly. Check the thickest piece with an instant-read thermometer; transfer pieces to a plate as soon as they reach 165 F.
Look for: The spice crust is brick red and browned, not blackened. The thickest part of each breast reaches 165 F; smaller pieces may finish first.
Cook the green beans
Add the green beans to the same skillet with 2 tbsp water and a pinch of salt. Cover and steam over medium heat for 3 minutes, then uncover and toss until bright green and crisp-tender; move them to the chicken plate.
Look for: The beans turn bright green and bend slightly while retaining a bite. The skillet is dry again before making the sauce.
Soften the shallot
Reduce the skillet heat to medium-low and add the minced shallot. Stir for about 1 minute, scraping up the browned spice and chicken bits until the shallot softens without taking on dark color.
Look for: The shallot looks translucent at the edges. Browned bits loosen into the shallot rather than burning.
Build the pan sauce
Pour in the remaining 1/2 cup chicken stock and scrape the skillet clean with a wooden spoon. Whisk in the Dijon and simmer until slightly reduced, about 2 minutes; stir in the cream and simmer gently for 2 minutes until the sauce lightly coats a spoon.
Look for: The sauce is smooth, savory, and lightly thickened, not boiling hard. The browned bits are dissolved into the sauce.
Finish the farro
When tender, drain any excess liquid from the farro. Fold in the butter, lemon juice, parsley, and remaining 1/4 tsp salt; cover the saucepan to keep it warm while the sauce finishes.
Look for: The farro grains look glossy and separate rather than soupy. Lemon brightens the nutty farro without overpowering it.
Plate and serve
Return the chicken and any resting juices to the skillet and turn once in the mustard sauce. Divide the farro and green beans among four plates, set a chicken breast on each, and spoon sauce over the chicken.
Look for: Each plate has farro, green beans, and one chicken portion. The sauce clings to the chicken while some remains for the farro.