Chicken Au Poivre

Ingredients

• 3.3 lb Whole chicken (Butterflied; see source instructions for preparation)
• 3 tsp Smoked salt flakes (Use 2 teaspoons to season the chicken and the remaining 1 teaspoon in the sauce)
• 2 tsp Olive oil (For drizzling over the chicken)
• 0.333 cup Shallot (Chopped)
• 1 tsp Garlic clove (Grated)
• 1.5 tbsp Black pepper (Crushed; for the sauce)
• 1 tbsp Butter (For sautéing the sauce aromatics)
• 0.5 cup Dry sherry wine (Used to deglaze and flambé the pan)
• 1 tsp Fresh rosemary (Chopped)
• 1 tsp Fresh thyme (Chopped)
• 1.25 cup Light cream (Use light or heavy cream rather than regular milk or half-and-half to help prevent curdling)
• 2 tbsp Green peppercorn (Drained; optional)
• 1 tbsp Black pepper (Crushed; for seasoning the chicken skin)

Steps

1. 1

   Pat the butterflied chicken dry with paper towels. Drizzle it with the olive oil and season both sides evenly with 2 teaspoons of the smoked salt flakes. Season the skin side with extra freshly cracked black pepper.

2. 2

   Transfer the chicken to an oven-safe baking dish and roast for 25 minutes.

3. 3

   While the chicken is in the oven, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat.

4. 4

   Add the crushed black pepper, green peppercorns if using, rosemary, thyme, chopped shallot, and grated garlic. Sauté for about 2 minutes, until the shallot is tender.

5. 5

   Pour in the dry sherry wine to deglaze the pan. Carefully ignite the wine with a lighter to flambé, and let the flames burn off completely.

6. 6

   Stir in the light cream and the remaining 1 teaspoon of smoked salt flakes. Remove the sauce from the heat and set it aside.

7. 7

   After 25 minutes, remove the chicken from the oven when the skin is slightly golden. Skim off and discard any excess fat and juices from the baking dish.

8. 8

   Pour half of the prepared peppercorn sauce directly over the chicken. Return the dish to the oven and bake for another 10 minutes.

9. 9

   Pour the remaining half of the sauce over the chicken. Bake for a final 10 minutes, or until the skin is golden brown and crispy and the sauce has thickened to a rich, coating consistency.

10. 10

    Remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes. Serve warm with the creamy sauce spooned generously over the top.

Notes

The source notes that the thickest part of the thigh should reach 165°F (74°C). For extra-crispy skin, butterfly and season the chicken up to one day ahead and refrigerate it uncovered overnight. Let the flambé flames burn out completely before adding the cream. Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days; store the meat and sauce together and reheat gently on the stovetop. The sauce is not recommended for freezing. For an alcohol-free variation, replace the sherry with 1/2 cup chicken broth mixed with a splash of apple cider vinegar.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• French
• roasted
• chicken
• gluten-free
• low-carb
• creamy sauce
• dinner-party