Chicken au Poivre

[nverland]

Chicken au Poivre
Total Time: 45 mins Servings: 6

Ingredients

2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 6 medium thighs)
3 teaspoons coarsely cracked black pepper, divided, plus more for garnish
1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1/3 cup finely chopped shallot
1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme
3 tablespoons Cognac or brandy
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup crème fraiche
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Finely chopped fresh chives

Directions

Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Sprinkle evenly on all sides with 2 teaspoons of the pepper and 1 teaspoon of the salt, pressing gently to adhere. Place chicken skin side down in a cold 12-inch skillet. Cook over medium, undisturbed, until skin is golden brown and very crisp, about 15 minutes. Turn chicken skin side up; cook, undisturbed, until a thermometer inserted into thickest portion of chicken registers 165°F, about 10 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate and set aside, reserving drippings in skillet.
Add shallot, garlic, thyme, remaining 1 teaspoon pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon salt to drippings in skillet. Cook over medium, stirring often, until shallots are softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat, and add Cognac. Return skillet to medium; cook, stirring constantly to scrape up any browned bits on bottom of skillet, until Cognac is nearly evaporated, about 30 seconds. Pour in broth, and bring to a simmer over medium. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly reduced, about 2 minutes. Whisk in crème fraiche and Dijon mustard until smooth. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer, whisking often, until sauce is thick enough to coat back of a spoon, about 5 minutes.
Return chicken thighs to skillet, skin side up, and simmer over medium-low, swirling skillet occasionally, until chicken is heated through, about 1 minute. Transfer chicken to a serving plate and spoon sauce over top; garnish with chives and additional pepper. Serve immediately.

Make ahead
You can chop the shallots, garlic, and thyme up to two days in advance. Cooked chicken and sauce can be refrigerated separately for up to three days. Reheat gently before serving.