marco pierre white’s chicken au poivre
Marco Pierre White, the original enfant terrible of British cuisine, once said, “Perfection is lots of little things done well.” Now let’s not beat around the bush, this isn’t his recipe, but rather me adapting his techniques for steak au poivre into the viral chicken au poivre that everyone is doing right now.
There are lots of these recipes doing the rounds, but I thought I would use all the research I poured into his steak au poivre into my own version. You will end up with a deep pepper kick, but savoury, creamy goodness that comforts.
I think the most important ingredient (after pepper) is Worcestershire sauce. The deep savoury flavour sits in the background, seasoning everything and adding piquancy and depth.
The beauty of this recipe is its flexibility, echoing Marco’s belief that recipes are living philosophies. Don’t have cognac? Use port. Prefer a spicier kick? Add more pepper. It’s all about making it your own. You might even say… it’s your choice.
chicken au poivre
Ingredients
- 1 onion roughly diced
- 50 g clarified butter or oil
- 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
- 50 ml brandy or port, cognac as preferred
- 50 ml Worcestershire sauce
- 300 ml double cream
- 1 chicken stock pot diluted in 200ml water
- 1 teaspoon cracked black peppercorns or use green peppercorns if you can get them
- 2 boneless, skinless, chicken thighs or other chicken cuts as you prefer
- 2 tablespoons cornflour
Instructions
- 3-6 hours before, set the chicken on a rack over a tray. Salt generously on both sides and put in the fridge to rest.
- Heat the butter or oil in large pan over a medium-low heat.
- Add the onion and gently sweat until soft, stirring freuqently. Avoid browning.
- Season with freshly ground black pepper and continue cooking until the onions are very tender.
- Turn up the heat and add the booze. Deglaze the pan, scraping up all the bits on the bottom of the pan. Allow to reduce to a thick syrup.
- Repeat with the Worcestershire sauce.
- Lower the heat and add the cream. Stir often and simmer until the sauce coats the back of a spoon. Now gradually add the stock, to balance the sauce's flavour and consistency. Adjust the seasoning as you like it.
- Tip the cornflour onto a plate and blend with lots of freshly ground black pepper. Press one side of each chicken piece into the mix well.
- While the sauce cooks, fry the chicken over a medium heat until cooked through.
- Once the chicken is cooked, push it to one side and strain the sauce into the chicken pan. Allow to bubble for a minute to combine all the flavours and reheat. Serve with potatoes and greens.