Description
Chicken au Poivre is a classic French dish featuring tender chicken thighs cooked in a creamy, peppercorn-infused sauce. This rich and flavorful recipe combines seared chicken with a luscious sauce made from shallots, thyme, cracked black peppercorns, chicken broth, and heavy cream, creating an elegant yet comforting meal perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients
Chicken
- 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat and patted dry
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Sauce
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ¼ cup (0.75 oz) minced shallots
- 1½ tablespoons whole black peppercorns, lightly crushed
- 3 thyme sprigs
- ¼ cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Crush the Peppercorns: Using a mortar and pestle, lightly crush the whole black peppercorns to release their aroma and flavor. Set them aside while preparing the chicken.
- Season and Sear the Chicken: Season the chicken thighs evenly on all sides with salt and black pepper. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Place the chicken in the skillet and cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side until they are golden brown. Remove the chicken from the skillet and transfer them to a plate.
- Prepare the Sauce Base: In the same skillet, melt the unsalted butter over medium-high heat. Add the minced shallots, thyme sprigs, and crushed peppercorns. Sauté the mixture for 1 to 2 minutes until it becomes fragrant and the shallots are softened.
- Deglaze with Chicken Broth: Pour in ¼ cup of low-sodium chicken broth to deglaze the skillet, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom. Cook for about 2 minutes.
- Simmer the Sauce: Add the remaining 1½ cups chicken broth to the skillet and let it simmer over medium-high heat until reduced by about half, which should take approximately 5 minutes. This reduction intensifies the sauce flavors.
- Add Cream and Finish Cooking: Reduce the heat to medium-low and stir in the heavy cream. Return the seared chicken thighs to the skillet, coating them with the sauce. Continue cooking for 6 to 8 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked through and the sauce thickens nicely. Stir occasionally and scrape the bottom of the pan to prevent sticking.
- Serve: Spoon the creamy pepper sauce generously over the chicken. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and serve immediately for a warm, flavorful dish.
Notes
- Lightly crushing the peppercorns retains texture and delivers a pleasant peppery bite rather than a sharp pepper powder taste.
- Using low-sodium chicken broth allows better control over the saltiness of the sauce.
- For an extra touch, serve with mashed potatoes or steamed vegetables to complement the creamy sauce.
- If whole black peppercorns are not available, coarsely cracked peppercorns from a grinder can be used instead.
