Equipment
Ingredients
Turkey
- 600 g turkey breast, boneless, skinless
- 15 ml olive oil
- 5 g kosher salt
- 2 g black pepper, freshly ground
Mushroom Dijon Sauce
- 30 g unsalted butter
- 250 g cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 2 garlic, minced
- 120 ml chicken broth, low-sodium
- 200 ml heavy cream, room temperature
- 30 g dijon mustard, smooth
- 5 g fresh parsley, chopped
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 452 kcal
- Protein
- 39 g
- Carbohydrates
- 6 g
- Fat
- 31 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 3 g
- Sodium
- 868 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 16 g
- Trans Fat
- 1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 10 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Cholesterol
- 159 mg
- Potassium
- 729 mg
- Calcium
- 75 mg
- Iron
- 1.7 mg
- Magnesium
- 57 mg
- Phosphorus
- 420 mg
- Zinc
- 2.8 mg
- Vitamin A
- 272 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 2 mg
- Vitamin D
- 1.0 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.3 mg
- Vitamin K
- 26 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 1.3 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 1.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.15 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.64 mg
- Niacin
- 17.4 mg
- Folate
- 31 mcg
- Water
- 238 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Pat the turkey breast slices dry with paper towels. Season evenly with kosher salt and black pepper. To prevent cross-contamination, immediately wash your hands, cutting board, and any utensils used for the raw poultry.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the turkey slices in a single layer, working in batches if necessary. Sear until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 74°C/165°F.
Use tongs to transfer the cooked turkey slices to a clean plate. Tent loosely with foil to keep warm while they rest.
Lower the heat to medium and melt the butter in the same skillet. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook undisturbed for the first few minutes, allowing them to brown. Stir occasionally until their moisture has completely evaporated.
Add the minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant. Pour in the chicken broth, using a whisk or wooden spoon to scrape up all the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Simmer until the liquid is reduced by half.
Reduce the heat to medium-low. Whisk in the heavy cream and Dijon mustard until smooth. Simmer gently until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Do not let it boil vigorously or the cream may separate.
Return the resting turkey slices and any accumulated juices on the plate back to the skillet. Turn the turkey in the sauce to coat entirely and heat through for one minute.
Remove from heat. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley before serving immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Pounding the turkey breast slices to an even thickness before cooking ensures they finish at the exact same time, preventing the thin edges from drying out.
- For the fond, the browned bits stuck to the pan after searing the meat, do not wipe the skillet clean before cooking the mushrooms. This fond provides the base layer of umami for your sauce.
- Using room temperature heavy cream lowers the risk of the sauce breaking when it hits the hot pan.
- The sharpness of Dijon mustard loses its punch if boiled for too long. Adding it toward the end of the cooking process preserves its characteristic tang.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container. Sauce may thicken significantly upon cooling.
Reheating: Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat, adding a splash of water or broth to loosen the sauce and prevent splitting.
Troubleshooting
Cream sauce split or looks oily and curdled
Cause: The heat was too high after adding the heavy cream, causing the fat emulsions to break.
Fix: Remove from heat immediately and whisk in 15ml of cold heavy cream or water vigorously to re-emulsify the sauce.
Prevention: Always lower the heat before adding dairy and maintain a gentle simmer rather than a rolling boil.
Turkey breast is dry and tough
Cause: The meat was cooked beyond 74°C/165°F.
Fix: Slice the turkey very thinly against the grain before serving, and toss thoroughly in the sauce to add perceived moisture.
Prevention: Use a reliable instant-read thermometer and remove the turkey exactly when it reaches target temperature.
Mushrooms released water but did not brown
Cause: Overcrowding the pan or stirring too frequently trapped steam rather than allowing caramelization.
Fix: Continue cooking until all the released liquid evaporates, then allow them to fry in the remaining fat.
Prevention: Cook mushrooms in batches if necessary, and resist the urge to stir them during the first two minutes of cooking.
Cultural Context
This preparation is heavily inspired by French culinary techniques, particularly the classic combination of mustard and cream found in dishes from the Burgundy and Normandy regions. Known traditionally as escalopes a la creme, pairing lean poultry with an enriched pan sauce is a timeless method for transforming simple ingredients into a luxurious, quick-cooking meal.
