Peppercorn Chicken
This Peppercorn Chicken (aka Chicken au Poivre) is deliciously flavorful, creamy, and slightly spicy thanks to the peppercorns. This is an easy one pan dish that takes less than 30-minutes to make which makes it perfect for weeknight dinner or a fancy dinner party. 
Whenever I go to a steak restaurant, one of my favorite things to order is peppercorn sauce to smother my steak in. I had a lightbulb moment when I realized that peppercorn sauce can be served with things other than steak .(although if you like it on steak I recommend checking out this Steak with Dairy-free Peppercorn Sauce). This Peppercorn Chicken is officially one of my favorite chicken dishes, it’s creamy, spicy and so so good. I love trying to come up with easy dinner ideas that don’t require a lot of ingredients and takes less than 30 minutes and this recipe really ticks all of the boxes.
Why You Will Love This Peppercorn Chicken
- This one-pan dish is quick, easy, and super economical, yet tastes so fancy.
- The chicken is juicy and bursting with salty umami flavor and a creamy sauce; you’ll be going back for a second helping.
- With very few dishes, clean-up is quick and easy on busy weeknights.
- You can easily modify this to be dairy-free, gluten-free, Paleo, Whole30, and Specific Carbohydrate Diet legal.
Ingredients You Will Need For This Peppercorn Chicken
- Chicken thighs: I used boneless, skinless chicken thighs for the ultimate juicy chicken, but boneless-skinless chicken breasts will also work wonderfully.
- Seasonings: A heavy pinch of salt, black pepper, and garlic powder make a simple spice combination.
- Oils: A combination of butter and extra-virgin olive oil complements each other perfectly. You can use either salted or unsalted butter, and avocado oil instead of olive oil.
- Aromatics: I love using a shallot and a fresh garlic clove, but you can use a yellow onion or pre-minced garlic too.
- Whole Black peppercorns: You will need to crush the whole peppercorns slightly with a pestle and mortar or with a pepper mill set to coarsely grind.
- Beef stock: You can also use beef broth, chicken stock, or chicken broth.
- Worcestershire sauce: The umami star of the show. You could also use soy sauce or coconut aminos.
- Heavy cream: The reason for the creaminess! Coconut cream is an excellent option for making this dairy-free.
- Thyme: I used dried thyme, but fresh thyme or other fresh herbs will also work.
Kitchen Tools You Will Need
- Small Bowl
- Large Plate
- Medium to Large Skillet
How To Make This Peppercorn Chicken
- In a small bowl, stir together the seasonings. Place the chicken thighs on a plate and generously season them on both sides.
- Add butter and olive oil to a skillet on medium-high heat. Add the chicken thighs in a single layer to the hot pan and cook the chicken for 2-3 mins until seared and golden brown in color. Transfer the cooked chicken to a plate (check with an instant-read thermometer to make sure the internal temperature is 165 degrees F.
- Add a little butter to the pan and add in the shallot, saute until they begin to soften. Add in the garlic and peppercorns and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add in the Worcestershire sauce, beef stock, cream, and thyme and bring to a simmer. Scrape the bottom of the pan to gather any flavorful bits. Leave the sauce to simmer for 3-4 minutes.
- Return the chicken to the pan, spoon the sauce over the top, and leave to simmer until the sauce is thick. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley before serving.
Modification Tips
- Use chicken breast if you prefer white meat or swap the chicken thighs for pork chops.
- For a more peppery kick, you can add more black peppercorns. For a milder Chicken au Poivre, you can use canned green peppercorns. A green peppercorn sauce is more aromatic and perfect if you want to feel fancy with your creamy peppercorn sauce.
- Switch up the spices, like using white pepper instead of black pepper or rosemary instead of thyme.
- If you don’t eat beef you can swap the beef stock for chicken stock.
- To make this gluten-free, you can use coconut aminos or gluten-free soy sauce in place of worcestershire (some worchestire is gluten free, be sure to check labels)
- For a dairy-free sauce, I love to use coconut cream, or you could use almond milk or cashew milk.
Serving Suggestions
This creamy peppercorn chicken recipe is perfect when it’s sitting on a bed of mashed potatoes, Cauliflower Mash or rice pilaf. It would also be amazing served with a rice pilaf or over egg noodles.
For veggies, I recommend Roasted Broccoli, One-Pan Green Beans, or Roasted Fennel With Garlic and Herbs. It would also be great with a green salad or a sheet pan of veggies like this Sheet Pan Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Butternut Squash, Bacon & Red Onion. And don’t forget the slice of crusty bread.
Meal Prep and Storage Suggestions
- You can meal-prep the sauce 3-4 days in advance and also cook the chicken separately. Store them in separate airtight containers until you’re ready to serve. To reheat, warm on the stove in a large frying pan over medium heat until bubbly, thick, and warmed through (approximately 4-5 minutes)
- When it comes to leftovers, they will also last 3-4 days in the fridge when stored in an airtight container. Be sure to bring to room temperature before storing!
More Chicken Recipes You Will Love:
- Air Fryer Chicken Thighs
- Miso Chicken Thighs
- Chicken Chasseur
- Onion Smothered Chicken
- Oven Baked Greek Chicken Drumsticks
If you make this Peppercorn Chicken recipe let me know in the comment section below, I would love to hear what you think, or take a photo and tag me (@everylastbite_) on Instagram, I love seeing your photos!
Peppercorn Chicken
Ingredients
- 6 boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 large shallot finely diced
- 1 tbsp black peppercorns lightly crushed in a pestle and mortar
- 2 tbsp garlic minced
- 1 cup beef stock
- 2 tsp worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 cup heavy cream or half & half
- ¼ tsp dried thyme
Instructions
- In a small bowl stir together the salt, garlic powder and pepper. Place the chicken thighs on a plate ensuring they lay flat and generously season them on both sides.
- Add 1 tbsp butter and 1 tbsp olive oil to a medium size skillet on medium high heat. Add in the chicken thighs (you may need to work in two batches) and cook the chicken for 3-4 minutes per side or until seared and golden brown in color. Transfer the cooked chicken to a plate.
- Add 1 tbsp butter to the pan and add in the shallot, saute for 3 minutes until they begin to softer. Add in the garlic and peppercorns and cook for 2-3 minutes and then add in the worcestershire sauce, beef stock, cream and thyme and bring to a simmer. Leave the sauce to simmer for approximately 5 minute until the sauce has reduced by half.
- Return the chicken to the pan, spoon the sauce overtop and leave to simmer for a few more minutes until the sauce is thick. Garnish with chopped parsley before serving.
Nutrition
Leave a Reply