Description
Make tender pan-seared chicken breasts topped with a rich, savory cream sauce featuring Irish whiskey.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 small shallot, minced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup Irish whiskey
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Season both sides of the chicken breasts generously with salt and pepper.
- Heat the olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Sear the chicken breasts for 5 to 7 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through (internal temperature reaches 165°F or 74°C). Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside on a plate, covering loosely with foil.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add the minced shallot to the same skillet and cook for 1 minute until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds more until fragrant.
- Pour the Irish whiskey into the skillet. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan using a wooden spoon. Let the whiskey simmer and reduce by half, about 2 minutes. This cooks off the alcohol.
- Pour in the chicken broth and Dijon mustard. Bring to a simmer and cook for 1 minute.
- Stir in the heavy cream and dried thyme. Reduce the heat to low and let the sauce simmer gently until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 3 to 5 minutes. Do not boil rapidly.
- Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed.
- Return the chicken breasts to the skillet and spoon the sauce over them. Heat for 1 minute to warm the chicken through.
- Serve immediately, garnished with fresh parsley.
Notes
- For a thicker sauce without adding flour, let the cream simmer longer until it reduces sufficiently.
- If you prefer a less intense whiskey flavor, use 1/3 cup of whiskey and increase the broth slightly.
- This sauce pairs well with mashed potatoes or steamed green beans.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 20 min
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Pan-Searing
- Cuisine: Irish
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken breast with sauce
- Calories: 550
- Sugar: 3
- Sodium: 450
- Fat: 38
- Saturated Fat: 18
- Unsaturated Fat: 15
- Trans Fat: 1
- Carbohydrates: 8
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 45
- Cholesterol: 180