If you’ve seen Chicken Au Poivre all over social media lately, this is your sign to make it! A whole spatchcocked chicken is roasted until golden, then baked in a rich cream sauce made with cracked black pepper, garlic, shallot and fresh herbs. The chicken stays incredibly juicy while the cream cooks down into a savory, peppery sauce you’ll want to spoon over everything.
Why You’ll Love This Chicken Au Poivre
This recipe looks impressive but is surprisingly simple to make. Spatchcocking the chicken helps it cook more evenly and gives you more beautifully browned skin. And don’t let that word intimidate you—it only takes a few minutes!
Serve this creamy roasted chicken with mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables or crusty bread to soak up all that incredible sauce.
How To Spatchcock A Chicken
Place a 3.5–5 pound whole chicken breast-side down on a cutting board. Using sharp kitchen shears, cut along both sides of the backbone and remove it.
Flip the chicken over so it is breast-side up. Using the heel of your hand, press firmly in the center of the breast until you hear the breastbone crack and the chicken lies flatter. Tuck the wing tips underneath the chicken so they don’t burn while roasting.
How To Make Chicken Au Poivre
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Place the chicken breast-side up in a large baking dish. Coat it with olive oil and generously season with AM Salt.
Bake uncovered for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine 3 cups heavy cream, 2 teaspoons freshly cracked black pepper, 1 diced medium shallot, 4–6 minced garlic cloves, 2–3 rosemary sprigs, 4–5 thyme sprigs and 1 tablespoon Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base.
Remove the chicken from the oven and pour the cream mixture over and around it. Increase the oven temperature to 400°F and return the chicken to the oven.
Bake for another 60–90 minutes, basting the chicken generously with the cream sauce every 20 minutes. Cooking time will depend on the size of your chicken, so rely on temperature rather than the clock. The chicken is done when a meat thermometer registers 165°F in the thickest portion.
Remove from the oven and give the chicken one final spoonful of that creamy pepper sauce. Let it rest for 10 minutes before carving and serving.
The result is juicy roasted chicken surrounded by a creamy, garlicky au poivre sauce that feels special enough for Sunday dinner but is absolutely doable for an everyday cook.
Chicken Au Poivre Recipe
Chicken Au Poivre
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken 3.5–5 pounds
- AM Salt to taste
- Olive oil enough to coat chicken
- 3 cups heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 medium shallot finely diced
- 4 –6 garlic cloves minced
- 2 –3 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 4 –5 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 tablespoon Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Spatchcock the chicken by placing it breast-side down on a large cutting board. Using sharp kitchen shears, cut along both sides of the backbone and completely remove it.
- Flip the chicken over so it is breast-side up. Using the heel of your hand, firmly press down on the center of the breast until the breastbone cracks and the chicken lies flat. Tuck the wing tips underneath the chicken to help prevent them from burning.
- Place the chicken breast-side up in a large baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil and rub it over the entire surface of the chicken. Generously season with AM Salt.
- Bake uncovered at 375°F for 20 minutes.
- While the chicken is baking, make the au poivre cream sauce. In a large bowl, combine the heavy cream, freshly cracked black pepper, diced shallot, minced garlic, rosemary, thyme and Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base. Stir until well combined.
- Remove the chicken from the oven after 20 minutes. Pour the cream mixture over and around the entire chicken.
- Increase the oven temperature to 400°F and return the chicken to the oven.
- Bake for an additional 60–90 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken. Every 20 minutes, carefully spoon the cream sauce from the bottom of the baking dish over the chicken to baste it.
- Continue roasting until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Check the thickest part of the breast and the innermost portion of the thigh without touching the bone.
- Remove the chicken from the oven and baste once more with the creamy au poivre sauce.
- Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before carving. Serve warm with plenty of the creamy pepper sauce spooned over the top.
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