St. Bernard of Clairvaux’s Honey Dijon Chicken

History

Known in part for his rich connections to Dijon, his founding of the Clairvaux Abbey, and his parents’ nobility in the region, Church father St. Bernard is often remembered as having a strong relationship to this popular region! Thus, it makes sense that St. Bernard’s day is often celebrated by consuming the products of Burgundy as a festive nod to both him and his home in central France.

You might already know that the Burgundian capital of Dijon and its surrounding area are known around the world for their famous Dijon mustard and Burgundy wine products. This food and drink have been characteristic of the region since as early as the eleventh and twelfth centuries—around the time when St. Bernard lived there!

This special mustard recipe is traditionally made by using the sour juice of unripe grapes as a vinegar additive that is then mixed with the mustard seeds and ground with a mortar and pestle. For a long time throughout the European and Asian trade routes, in order to be officially called “Dijon,” the mustard had to come from that area of France. However other products often capitalized on the name by claiming that they were “dijon-style” mustards or were labeled dijon with a lowercase “D.” Today, however, many use the name dijon as merely a generic reference for any type of brown or stone-ground mustard.

Honey Dijon Chicken

A great summer feast that many modern families have adopted as a celebratory meal for St. Bernard is honey dijon chicken! Including dijon mustard as a prominent feature of the dish, our  recipe below ensures that you will certainly remember where St. Bernard of Clairvaux came from when you are cooking and eating the meal.

If you are really looking to feature the region’s popular ingredients, we also encourage you to serve the chicken alongside a dijon mustard and rosemary sauce that you can put on top of some roasted potatoes and veggies. Just whisk together some of the dijon mustard with olive oil, rosemary, salt, and pepper and toss it over your selection before putting your pan in the oven. Alternatively, you could make a mustard-based potato salad to serve as a refreshing side alongside the main honey mustard dish!

Similarly, serve a nice bottle of Burgundy wine with your feast and don’t forget to say a toast to St. Bernard of Clairvaux, “the man of the twelfth century!”

Ingredients

4 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts or chicken of your choosing, 4 oz each

½ teaspoon kosher salt

⅛ teaspoon ground pepper

2 teaspoons dried thyme or a couple fresh thyme sprigs

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

¼ cup honey

2 tablespoons dijon mustard

2 tablespoons wholegrain mustard

1 teaspoon white vinegar

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Combine all the spices and rub the chicken thoroughly on all sides.
2. In a small bowl combine the olive oil, honey, mustards, and vinegar.
3. Transfer the chicken to an oven-safe glass baking dish and pour over the mustard sauce. Bake until cooked through, about 15-25 minutes (depending on the size of your chicken breasts). The internal temperature of each chicken breast should read 165°F.