Chicken au Poivre

Ingredients

Whole black peppercorns – 1 tablespoon, coarsely cracked

Extra virgin olive oil – 2 tablespoons

Chicken thighs – 2 pounds boneless, skinless (about 6–8 thighs)

Unsalted butter – 2 tablespoons

Shallot – 2 tablespoons, finely minced

Chicken broth – 1 cup

Heavy cream – ¾ cup

Fresh thyme – 3 sprigs

Lemon juice – from ½ a lemon

Fresh parsley – 2 tablespoons, chopped

Kosher salt – to taste

Crush the peppercorns:

Use a mortar and pestle to roughly crack the peppercorns.

Alternatively, place them in a sealed bag and crush with a mallet or the bottom of a saucepan.

Brown the chicken:

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

Season the chicken thighs with salt.

Working in batches to avoid overcrowding, sear the chicken for about 5 minutes per side, until golden brown.

Transfer to a plate and set aside.

Build the sauce base:

Add the butter and minced shallot to the same skillet.

Sauté for 1–2 minutes until softened.

Stir in the chicken broth, heavy cream, thyme sprigs, and cracked peppercorns, scraping up any browned bits from the pan.

Simmer the chicken:

Return the browned chicken, along with any juices, to the skillet.

Nestle the pieces into the sauce and bring to a gentle simmer.

Cook for 6–8 minutes, basting occasionally, until the chicken is fully cooked through (165°F in the thickest part).

Finish the sauce:

Transfer the chicken to serving plates and discard the thyme sprigs.

Stir the lemon juice into the sauce and simmer for about 2 minutes, until slightly thickened.

Taste and adjust with salt as needed.

Serve:

Stir in the fresh parsley, spoon the sauce over the chicken, and serve immediately.