Au poivre is having a moment, and I’m completely here for it.
Traditionally made with steak, au poivre is all about plenty of cracked black pepper and a rich, creamy pan sauce. For this version, I swapped in boneless chicken thighs, searing them until golden before building the sauce right in the same skillet.
Shallots and coarsely crushed peppercorns go into the pan, followed by brandy, chicken broth, heavy cream and a little mustard. The result is a rich, peppery sauce with just enough tang to balance everything out.
I served mine over creamy mashed potatoes because you’re going to want something to catch every bit of that sauce.
It feels a little restaurant-y, but comes together surprisingly easily at home.
Why you’ll love it
- Boneless chicken thighs keep it easy enough for a weeknight.
- Coarsely crushed peppercorns give the creamy sauce plenty of peppery bite.
- The chicken and sauce come together in one skillet.
- Brandy, shallots and cream make a rich, flavorful pan sauce.
- It feels special without being complicated.
Chicken au Poivre
Juicy chicken thighs are seared until golden and finished in a rich, creamy brandy pan sauce with shallots, crushed peppercorns and mustard. An easy chicken take on classic steak au poivre.
Ingredients
Chicken
- ~1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, about 5
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp butter
Au Poivre Sauce
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 shallots minced
- 1 tbsp whole black peppercorns coarsely crushed
- ¼ cup brandy or Cognac
- ¾ cup low-sodium chicken broth
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp whole-grain mustard or Dijon mustard
- Fresh parsley chopped, for serving
Instructions
- Pat the chicken thighs dry. Season with the kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Heat the olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 5–6 minutes on the first side, until deeply golden. Flip and cook for another 4–5 minutes, or until the chicken reaches 165°F. Transfer to a plate.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add the butter and shallots to the same skillet. Cook until the shallots soften. Add the coarsely crushed peppercorns and cook briefly, until fragrant.
- Carefully pour in the brandy or Cognac and stir, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Let it cook briefly to reduce.
- Add the chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Cook for 3–5 minutes, allowing it to reduce.
- Stir in the heavy cream and mustard. Simmer for another 3–5 minutes, until the sauce has thickened enough to lightly coat the back of a spoon.
- Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the skillet. Spoon the sauce over the chicken and let everything cook together for 1–2 minutes.
- Finish with fresh parsley and serve over creamy mashed potatoes.
Notes
- For the best au poivre texture, crush whole peppercorns rather than using finely ground black pepper.
- To crush the peppercorns: Place the whole peppercorns in a zip-top bag and crush them with a rolling pin until coarse. You can also use a mortar and pestle.
- For an alcohol-free version, substitute an additional ¼ cup chicken broth.
- The sauce will continue to thicken slightly as it sits, so remove it from the heat while it is still a little looser than you ultimately want it.
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