Chicken au Poivre
Published September 10, 2024
Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Cyd Raftus McDowell.
- Total Time
- 45 minutes
- Prep Time
- 15 minutes
- Cook Time
- 30 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 2 pounds)
Salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons minced shallot
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
½ cup heavy cream
3 thyme sprigs
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley, plus more for garnishing
Crusty bread or egg noodles (optional), for serving
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
13 grams carbs; 264 milligrams cholesterol; 560 calories; 13 grams monounsaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 14 grams saturated fat; 34 grams fat; 2 grams fiber; 921 milligrams sodium; 49 grams protein; 3 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Place peppercorns in a small resealable bag. Using a mallet or the bottom of a saucepan, gently crush the peppercorns until coarsely cracked. (Alternatively, you can use a mortar and pestle.) Set aside.
- Step 2
In a 12-inch cast-iron or other heavy skillet, heat oil over medium. Season chicken with salt. In two batches, sear chicken until light golden all over, about 5 minutes per batch. Transfer to a plate. Pour off any remaining oil in the skillet.
- Step 3
Add butter and shallot to the skillet and cook, stirring, until butter is melted and shallot is softened, 1 minute. Add broth, heavy cream, thyme sprigs and cracked peppercorns and mix well, stirring to lift up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan.
- Step 4
Add chicken (and any accumulated juices), bring to a simmer and cook, turning and basting occasionally with the sauce, until cooked through and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 degrees, 6 to 8 minutes.
- Step 5
Divide chicken among 4 serving plates and discard thyme.
- Step 6
Add lemon juice to the skillet and stir until sauce is slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and stir in parsley.
- Step 7
Spoon the sauce over the chicken and garnish with more parsley. Serve with crusty bread or egg noodles, if desired.
Private Notes
Comments
You can use a garlic press to do the pepper cracking. Start with a single layer half covering the bottom of the press, then close the press once or twice. Remove with peppercorns with a pointed knife. Repeat as many times as needed.
I shamelessly made this at 1am after coming home wired from a late night at the office -- as written, except no fresh thyme. The substitution of lemon made for a tasty sauce, but without the cognac (or even sherry), it did not hit the expected au poivre notes. While good for a weeknight meal, it wasn't special or memorable.
Made this last night but used cognac instead of lemon, and had to sub sour cream for the heavy as that was what I had. Deglazed with cognac and then sprinkled a little on before serving. Yum!
Easy to sub in better than bouilion and prep items ahead of time. I'll admit that I used cognac given some comments, which does add flavor to the sauce. No matter what you do, increase the amount of sauce you make because everyone wants to soak up cream, butter, and onions
Loved this and so did my guests. I refused to give away the leftovers. Light dredge in flour for the chicken, deglazed shallots with white wine and chicken broth, did Armagnac instead of the lemon juice at the end. Hope to try green peppercorns next time.
Lightly browned wasn’t enough. I’m not sure what happens to me but my chicken texture was less than ideal at 165 (still pinkish) but I trusted the recipe and used a thermopen. The sauce also broke/separated. Will try again but first run didn’t work out.