Cognac Chicken au Poivre

This simple recipe is an entertaining showstopper! I guarantee everyone will be asking for this recipe.

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What Makes This Recipe Special?

• This amazing dish is ready in about 30 minutes.
• It uses mostly pantry staples, except for the Cognac.
• You can buy small quantities of Cognac, and I assure you - it is worth the splurge.

Ingredients & Substitutions

• You can use skinless, boneless chicken breasts or thighs here.
• Cognac adds the signature flavour, but you could substitute Brandy if you like.
• This recipe uses coarse ground black pepper instead of a peppercorn sauce.
• The recipe calls for creme fraiche, which has a bit of tang, but you could substitute 10% or heavy cream as the preferred choices.
• I was skeptical at first about adding the grated Parmesan cheese, but it really adds body to the sauce and is delicious.

How To Make It

• Start the pasta water and cook the pasta about 2 minutes less than called for. Drain and reserve a half cup of pasta water. Set pasta aside.
• While the pasta is cooking, season the chicken cubes with salt and pepper and brown them in oil.
• Remove the chicken and sauté the vegetables.
• Add the Cognac (off-heat), then scrape up any browned bits.
• Add the chicken stock and reduce it by half. Add the seasonings.
• Return the chicken and juices to the pan, add the pasta and reserved the pasta water and creme fraiche. Mix until heated through.
• Remove from the heat and stir in Parmesan until it is evenly melted.
• Serve with cracked black pepper and chive garnish if desired.

Wine Pairing

This rich sauce begs for a rich Chardonnay or other full-bodied white wine. A medium-bodied red, such as a Rhône blend, would also work.

Suggested Menu

The Suggested Menu adds a vegetable serving via the soup and gives a nod to the French roots of the main dish by echoing the Cognac in the Crêpes for Liqueur in the Panna Cotta.

Related Recipes

Cognac Chicken au Poivre

This amazing, company-worthy dish is ready in about 30 minutes. Cognac is the signature flavour in the sauce. Other than that it is all pantry staples. The seasoning uses coarse ground black pepper instead of a peppercorn sauce. Choose any sturdy, textured pasta to help deliver sauce in every bite.

Author: Carolyn Hetke

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Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: French

Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook Time: 20 minutes mins

Total Time: 30 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

• ▢ 8 oz rotini pasta or substitute any sturdy, textured pasta
• ▢ ½ cup reserved pasta water
• ▢ 1 lb skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1 " pieces Can substitute chicken breast
• ▢ 1 ¼ teaspoon coarse salt, plus more for pasta water divided 1 + ¼
• ▢ 1 ½ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper, plus more for garnish divided 1 + ½
• ▢ 2 Tbsps vegetable oil
• ▢ ½ cup shallot, chopped fine
• ▢ 8 oz mushrooms sliced
• ▢ 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
• ▢ ¼ cup Cognac Can substitute Brandy. See Note 2.
• ▢ ½ cup chicken stock unsalted or low-sodium
• ▢ ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• ▢ 8 oz creme fraiche or ½ cup of 10% or heavy cream See Note 2.
• ▢ 4 oz grated Parmesan cheese plus more for garnish
• ▢ chopped chives for garnish optional

Instructions

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for about 2 minutes less than package indicates. You want it to be even less than al dente. Drain and reserve ½ cup for later.
• While the pasta is being prepared, season the chicken with 1 teaspoon each of the salt and pepper.
• Heat oil in a large skillet, big enough to hold the finished dish. (Preferably NOT non-stick.)
• Add the chicken in a single layer and cook over medium heat, undisturbed to brown for about 4 minutes. Stir and allow to cook another 3 minutes. Remove to a bowl. DO NOT wipe the skillet.
• Return the skillet to the heat and cook the shallot and mushrooms until mushrooms have released their liquid, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and add the Cognac. Return pan to the heat and scrape up all the brown bits until. Continue cooking until Cognac is almost evaporated, about 1 minute.
• Add the chicken stock, remaining salt and pepper and thyme. Simmer for about 5 minutes until reduced by half.
• Add the chicken and pan juices, pasta, creme fraiche and pasta water to the skillet. Stir until well mixed and heated through, about 2 minutes.
• Remove skillet from the heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese.
• Divide among 4 bowls and garnish with more cheese, black pepper and chives, if desired.

Notes

1. Cognac is the signature taste of this dish and is worth the splurge. You can often find it sold in small quantities.  Brandy can be substituted and it will still be delicious. 
2. Crème fraîche has a higher fat content than sour cream and a slight tang. You can substitute 10% or heavy cream. I suggested a lesser amount so the sauce would not be too thin.  You can adjust the quantity of cream if the sauce is too thick, but start with the lesser amount of cream.  Sour cream could be used in a pinch but it has a tendency to separate so only add it at the end and make sure it doesn't boil.
3. This dish would be equally tasty served over mashed potatoes. In that case reserve ½ cup of the potato water to add body to the sauce.

Wine Pairing

This is a great dish to go with a rich Chardonnay or full-bodied White Grenache.

For reds, a Rhône blend or a Beaujolais would work nicely.

Nutrition

Calories: 835kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 46g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 170mg | Sodium: 1381mg | Potassium: 812mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 698IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 352mg | Iron: 3mg

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