Classic French Recipe Baked Rabbit with Mustard Cream
Gary and Jane Langton · Main Course · Provencal Recipes · Rabbit · TasteBaked Rabbit is a classic French recipe made with Dijon mustard and cream. However, if you don’t want to cook rabbit, substitute chicken thighs. Serve with rice, quinoa or a crusty baguette.

Baked Rabbit with Mustard Cream
Tender rabbit baked to perfection in a creamy and tangy mustard sauce.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 large Rabbit jointed into 6 portions or 6 large chicken thighs
- 2 large shallot(s) finely sliced
- 2 tsp Plain Flour
- 50 gr butter
- 1 tsp Olive Oil
- 200 ml white wine
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 500 ml chicken stock
- 100 ml Double Cream
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 bay leaf
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F)
- Melt half the butter with the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat.
- Season the rabbit portions with salt and black pepper and gentle sauté them until golden brown on all sides.
- Transfer the rabbit to a large flame-proof casserole dish.
- Wipe the frying pan clean with kitchen paper and add the remaining butter, return to a medium heat and gently sauté the sliced shallots until softened (about 5 minutes).
- Add the flour to the softened shallots and, stirring continuously, cook for 1 minute.
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the wine and half the stock.
- Return the pan to the heat and cook gently, stirring all the time until the sauce thickens.
- Add the mustard, season with salt and black pepper and simmer gently for 2 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and pour over the rabbit (in the casserole dish).
- Add the remaining stock to the casserole and gently bring to the boil on the hob.
- Add the thyme and bay leaf and place a piece of baking parchment on the surface of the casserole, then cover with its lid.
- Transfer the dish to the preheated oven for 1.5 hours, or until tender – the meat will begin to fall off the bone when cooked.
- Remove the casserole from the oven and place on the hob.
- Using a slotted spoon, gently remove the rabbit pieces and set aside.
- Stir in the cream and gently simmer for 5 minutes, removing the sprigs of thyme and bay leaf.
- Replace the rabbit pieces and adjust the seasoning to taste.
Notes
I serve this rabbit dish on a bed of crunchy savoy cabbage with fondant potatoes. However, mashed, roast or baked potatoes work equally well, and you could serve with any green vegetable.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Cooking with Mustard
Warm Goat Cheese Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing
This salad is quick to prepare. Use fresh, local ingredients, where possible. Enjoy for lunch or divide into smaller portions and serve as a starter course.
Check out this recipe
Roast Chicken in a Mustard Sauce
An easy and delicious roasted chicken covered in mustard sauce. This recipe requires very minimal prep only one minute!
Check out this recipe
Lapin à la Moutarde - Rabbit in Mustard Sauce
This dish is very easy to make. The butter, cream and dijon mustard work beautifully with rabbit, chicken or pork. Dinner in under 60-minutes!
Check out this recipe
Saumon à la Crème d'Oseille - Salmon in a Sorrel Sauce
Tangy mustard crusted salmon served on creamy green Sorrel sauce sided with sweet radishes.
Check out this recipe
Legal
All rights reserved. Perfectly Provence articles and other content may not be published, broadcast, rewritten (including translations into other languages) or redistributed without written permission. For usage information, please contact us.
Syndication InformationAffiliate Information
As an Amazon Associate, this website earns from qualifying purchases. Some recipes, posts and pages may have affiliate links. If you purchase via these links, we receive a small commission that does not impact your price. Thank you in advance for supporting our work to maintain Perfectly Provence.
Previous Post
Recipe for a French Classic Tarte TatinRelated Provence Articles
Simple Oven-Roasted Rabbit with Garlic and Herbes de Provence
April 10, 2018
Rabbit is often served in France as an alternative protein to chicken, pork or other meat. This oven-roasted rabbit is flavoured with garlic and herbs that are traditionally found in Provence. The recipe requires very little prep time and just like a roast chicken it will fill your home with savoury aromas.…
Comfort Food Recipe Tarragon Chicken Fricassée
March 16, 2018
A traditional chicken Fricassée flavoured with a Tarragon, mustard and veggie cream sauce. …
Winter Weekend Dinner Party Menu Inspired by Provencal Cuisine
January 19, 2018
We have been “dining-out” on David’s delicious seafood-based Christmas menu, and a bit reluctant to turn the page to the realities of a cold winter in parts of North America. However, the truth is that Provence is enjoying a mild-ish winter, while skiers are revelling in the snowy Alps this year. So, it’s time for …
Moist and Tender Salt-Roasted Chicken it’s Child’s Play
August 28, 2017
What a fabulous introduction to family cuisine involving your little ones in the kitchen with a child’s play approach to cooking their supper. This is David’s adaptation of salt-roasted chicken from an amazing cookbook designed for children. Read more on David’s day of play exploring La Cuisine est un jeu d’enfants Fuss free, moist and …
5 Comments
Excellent recipe! I cooked it in the Dutch oven over low heat on the stove and it was delicious. I also used one leek, thinly sliced, instead of shallots. Next time, I will try it in the oven…
Hi, did you double up the ingredients in the recipe here?
From the dijon mustard leaf on it repeats twice.
Just curious
Thanks
Whoops! Thank you for pointing that out. The recipe has been corrected now. Enjoy this French classic with mustard cream sauce.
Thanks for that :)
I’ve got my eye on the rabbits in the back farm for this recipe. Don’t tell them! ;)
I won’t tell them :-)