Bourbon-Pecan Chicken
- Total Time
- 1 hour, plus 2 hours' standing time
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 1chicken, about 3 pounds
- ½cup bourbon
- 1½teaspoons dried thyme, crumbled
- 2 to 3pinches cayenne (optional)
- 3shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
- ¼cup vegetable oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- ½cup whole pecan halves
- 1cup heavy cream
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
1016 calories; 79 grams fat; 25 grams saturated fat; 1 gram trans fat; 35 grams monounsaturated fat; 14 grams polyunsaturated fat; 12 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 6 grams sugars; 47 grams protein; 1164 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Cut the chicken into six serving pieces. Rinse and pat them dry, then lay them into a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish in a single layer.
- Step 2
In a glass measuring cup, whisk together the bourbon, thyme, cayenne, shallots and oil, then add about a half teaspoon of salt and generous grinds of fresh pepper. Pour the mixture over the chicken. Let stand at room temperature for two hours.
- Step 3
Heat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Step 4
Bake the chicken for 35 to 45 minutes, until it's cooked to your taste. It will not be really brown. Remove the pan from the oven and let it stand a few minutes to cool slightly.
- Step 5
Drain the cooking juices into a small saucepan. Add the pecans (what they lose in crispness, they'll make up in flavor) and cook over high heat until the liquid is reduced by half. Whisk in the heavy cream and continue cooking over high heat until the sauce is thickened.
- Step 6
To serve, arrange the chicken on a platter or individual serving plates and spoon the sauce over.
Private Notes
Comments
My second try adjustments/recommendations: The cayenne should not be considered optional because it adds a balancing piquant note without being over spicy. Oven toasting the pecans before adding them to the cream sauce contributes a richer flavor. Finally, I found near the end of cooking down the cream in the sauce that the bourbon flavor had nearly disappeared, so adding a splash or so more ensures that the flavor is still present by the time the meal is plated. Delicious with linguine!
I agree the cayenne should not be optional. The dish would be too bland without it. Toasting the pecans prior to cooking them in the sauce adds a nice, nutty flavor that is not there without the toasting. Also, a splash of bourbon cooked in the sauce helped, as the bourbon flavor was cooked out of the chicken. Serve with potatoes or pasta. Great dish!
Agree with notes. Cayenne is not optional. Also, toasting pecans is a good idea. Bad idea? Trying to marinate the chicken in bourbon overnight. Compared with a 2 hour marinade, overnight marinade made the chicken much stringier and tougher.
Made this with two leg quarters and rum (didn't want to buy bourbon just for this recipe), accompanied by Brussels sprouts and rice. It was fine, but to us it really just tasted like thyme - I'd reduce it to 1/2 tsp if I made it again.
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