Description
This Irish Chicken in Whiskey Cream Sauce is a comforting one-pan dinner featuring thinly pounded chicken cutlets seared to golden perfection and simmered in a luscious, creamy whiskey sauce. The sauce combines Irish whiskey, heavy cream, and a touch of white balsamic vinegar, seasoned with fresh chives for a bright finish. Perfect served over rice, pasta, or with potatoes, this dish brings rich flavors and rustic charm to your dinner table in just 35 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Chicken:
- 2 pounds chicken breast, cut in half and thinly pounded into cutlets
- Kosher salt, Morton’s, to taste
- Fresh cracked black pepper, to taste
- All-purpose flour, enough to dust
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
For the Cream Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 4 ounces Irish whiskey
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
- Kosher salt, Morton’s, as needed
- Fresh cracked black pepper, as needed
- 2 teaspoons chives, plus more for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the Chicken Cutlets: Slice the chicken breasts in half and pound them thin and even between two pieces of plastic cling film using a tenderizing mallet or similar tool. If pieces are too large, cut them in half again to yield about 8 cutlets total from 2 breasts.
- Season and Flour the Chicken: Season both sides of the chicken cutlets generously with kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper. Lightly dust both sides with all-purpose flour to create a coating that will help develop a golden crust when cooked.
- Sear the Chicken: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and melt together 4 tablespoons unsalted butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil until the oil shimmers. Add 3-4 chicken cutlets at a time and cook until golden brown on both sides, about 2-3 minutes per side. Remove the browned chicken to a plate and repeat with remaining cutlets.
- Make the Roux: In the same skillet with the residual fat, add 2 tablespoons unsalted butter and 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour. Whisk continuously and cook for 2-3 minutes to form a roux, which will thicken the sauce.
- Deglaze the Pan: Pour in 4 ounces of Irish whiskey to deglaze the pan, scraping up browned bits from the bottom to incorporate flavor.
- Add Liquids and Seasonings: Whisk in 1 cup chicken broth, 1 ½ cups heavy cream, 2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar, kosher salt, fresh cracked black pepper, and 2 teaspoons chopped chives (reserve some chives for garnish). Stir continuously and bring to a simmer until the sauce thickens slightly.
- Simmer the Chicken in Sauce: Return all the seared chicken cutlets along with any juices from the plate back into the skillet. Simmer gently for 10-15 minutes, allowing the sauce to become luscious and cling to the chicken, ensuring the chicken is fully cooked and flavorful.
- Finish and Serve: Garnish with the reserved chopped chives and serve the chicken and whiskey cream sauce over rice, pasta, or potatoes for a complete meal.
Notes
- Tenderizing the chicken cutlets is essential for a tender, evenly cooked result—do not skip this step.
- Taste your sauce frequently and adjust the seasoning, especially salt and vinegar, to achieve a balanced flavor.
- Searing the chicken quickly creates a golden crust; finishing the cooking by simmering in the sauce allows flavors to meld perfectly.
- Substitute boneless chicken thighs or bone-in chicken breasts if preferred for a different texture.
- For a gluten-free option, dust the chicken with cornstarch instead of flour and use a cornstarch slurry (cornstarch mixed with water) to thicken the sauce instead of flour.
- The Irish butter adds authentic flavor, but regular unsalted butter can be used as a budget-friendly alternative.
- Use any affordable Irish whiskey—you don’t have to use expensive brands, and small airplane bottles work well if you don’t drink often.
- White balsamic vinegar adds a light sweetness; apple cider vinegar or lemon juice are good substitutes to provide the necessary acidity.