Chicken au poivre is a twist on a classic French dish that’s easy to make at home, yet elegant enough to serve when you have company over.
Cracked peppercorns, sizzling butter, and tender chicken come together in this bold, buttery, flavor-packed dish.
Chicken au Poivre is the kind of meal that instantly makes dinner feel a little more special without requiring anything complicated. We love making this dish for easy family dinners, even on the busiest weeknights.
The sauce alone is reason enough to make this recipe. It’s creamy, peppery, and made for spooning over everything from mashed potatoes to crusty bread.
Table of Contents
A quick bite of history
Inspired by the French classic Steak au Poivre, Chicken au Poivre swaps beef for juicy chicken breasts or thighs.
It likely originated in mid-20th century French bistros and brasseries, where peppercorn sauces reigned supreme.
We love it because it’s less expensive than steak, and we usually have all of the ingredients already on hand.
Why you’ll love this family favorite recipe!
- It’s super easy to make. No complicated steps here! Be sure to read through the recipe before diving in to make it.
- Cracked black pepper gives it bold flavor without being overwhelming.
- The sauce is rich, creamy, and restaurant-worthy.
- Made in one pan with easy-to-find ingredients.
- Perfect for a weeknight dinner or a casual dinner party.
- Pairs beautifully with wine and a simple green salad.
Ingredient notes
Traditional Steak au Poivre calls for brandy or cognac, but we find that this chicken version is delicious without it.
- Chicken: Use boneless, skinless chicken thigh pieces for fast cooking and juicy results
- Black peppercorns: Coarsely cracked or whole is key — not ground — for that signature bite.
- Butter and olive oil: For browning and building flavor in the pan. We always use both olive oil and butter for balance when cooking chicken.
- Shallots: Milder than onions and perfect for delicate sauces. You can substitute yellow onions if that’s what you have on hand, but I prefer the flavor of shallots in this particular recipe.
- Heavy cream: Rich and velvety, it brings the sauce together. Use your favorite dairy-free heavy cream to make it a dairy-free dinner.
- Chicken stock: Balances out the richness with savory backbone.
Step-by-step instructions
Here are some step-by-step photos with brief instructions to show you how easy it is to make this chicken recipe.
You’ll find the full list of ingredients along with measurements, and more detailed instructions in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Season the chicken.
- and 3. Add the oil to a large skillet and brown the chicken on all sides. Remove and transfer to a plate.
4. Add the butter to the pan.
5. Add the shallots and garlic and sauté.
6. Add the chicken broth, cream, pepper, and herbs.
7. Return the chicken to the pan and cook. Then remove the check and transfer to plates.
8. Pour in the lemon juice.
9. Bring the sauce to a boil and allow to reduce and thicken slightly.
10. Serve peppercorn sauce over the chicken and serve with slices or wedges of lemon and parsley.
Marlynn’s Tip
Recipe Tip
You can use whole peppercorn or lightly cracked peppercorn, but try to avoid using finely ground black pepper. That will alter the dish dramatically, creating a grainy sauce that is totally different than the peppercorn sauce that is intended.
Recipe FAQs
Boneless thighs give you the most flavor, but breasts work well too. Just be sure not to overcook them.
Absolutely! I use my favorite dairy-free heavy cream to make it dairy-free.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days.
Serving suggestions
This is a lovely dinner that can be casual or dressed up for special occasions.
For a busy weeknight dinner, serve it with herby potatoes, Instant Pot basmati rice, and a simple tomato cucumber salad.
Have company over? This chicken au poivre is an elegant meal when served with a side of homemade French bread, savory mushroom marsala, and Instant Pot garlic mashed potatoes. Finish the meal with a beautiful ginger and pear tart with puff pastry.
🍷 🥂 Wine pairings
This chicken dish pairs well with either a light-bodied red wine or a crisp white wine.
- Pinot Noir: Its light body and earthy notes balance the creaminess and bring out the peppery flavor.
- Chardonnay (unoaked or lightly oaked): Crisp acidity cuts through the richness of the sauce without overpowering the dish.
More chicken recipes
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Chicken Inasal
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Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to leave a 5-Star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card, and if you really loved it, please leave a comment further down on the page. Thank you!
Chicken au Poivre
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, about 6-8 pieces
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 Tablespoons finely minced shallot
- 1 cup chicken stock or broth
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 3-4 fresh thyme sprigs
- 1 Tablespoon lightly cracked black peppercorn
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 Tablespoon chopped parsley
- lemon wedges, for serving
Instructions
- Season chicken all over with the salt.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat-high.
- Add the chicken and cook approximately 5 minutes on each side, until browned on all sides. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Add the butter and shallots to the pan. Cook, stirring regularly, until the butter has melted and the shallots have softened, about 1-2 minutes.
- Pour in the broth and use a wooden spoon to deglaze the pan, gently scraping up any browned bits at the bottom of the pan.
- Pour in the heavy cream then add the thyme sprigs and cracked black pepper. Stir and cook together for about 1 minute.
- Add the chicken back to the pan and cook for about 5 more minutes, turning the chicken over and basting with the sauce throughout this time. You'll want to do this just until the chicken is cooked thoroughly, when a meat thermometer reads an internal temperature of 165°F for each piece of chicken.
- Remove fully cooked chicken from the pan and transfer to a plate. Also remove the thyme sprigs from the pan and discard those.
- Add the lemon juice to the remaining sauce in the pan. Stir, and allow the sauce to bubble up and thicken for 2-3 minutes (see Notes for additional thickening tips).
- Place chicken onto serving plates. Pour sauce over each serving and sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serve with a lemon wedge.
Notes
- If you have whole peppercorns, you can use a mortar and pestle to gently crush them. Or, place them into your pepper grinder and grind them on the largest setting.
- Make it dairy free: use your favorite non-dairy heavy cream and plant-based butter.
- Use freshly squeezed lemon juice if you can; the store-bought lemon juice in those lemon-shaped containers do not have the same flavor and will alter the flavor of the final dish.
- Make your own Instant Pot Chicken Stock and keep some in the freezer for recipes like this.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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