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Irish Chicken in Whiskey Cream Sauce

Irish chicken whiskey cream sauce featuring golden seared chicken breasts simmered in an amber whiskey sauce with mushrooms and shallots. Finished with herb flecks from fresh thyme for a Celtic chicken recipe that feels special for St. Patrick's Day.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Irish-American
Calories: 690
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 0.5 tsp salt to taste
  • 0.25 tsp pepper to taste
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder to taste
  • 0.5 tsp dried thyme to taste
Sear and sauté
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 2 shallots finely minced
  • 8 oz cremini mushrooms sliced
  • 3 garlic minced
Whiskey cream sauce
  • 0.33 cup Irish whiskey Jameson
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 0.5 cup chicken broth
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
  • 0.5 fresh thyme sprigs for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Season and sear the chicken
  1. Season the chicken breasts with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and dried thyme to taste.
  2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and sear the chicken for 5-6 minutes per side until golden and cooked through to 165°F, then remove to a plate.
Build the mushroom shallot base
  1. Melt butter in the same pan and cook the shallots and mushrooms for 5-6 minutes until golden, stirring as needed for browning.
  2. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant.
Make the whiskey cream sauce
  1. Remove the pan from heat, carefully pour in Irish whiskey, then return to medium heat and cook for 1-2 minutes to cook off the alcohol.
  2. Stir in heavy cream, chicken broth, Dijon mustard, and fresh thyme leaves, then simmer for 5-6 minutes until the sauce thickens.
Finish and serve
  1. Return the chicken to the pan and spoon the whiskey cream sauce over each breast until coated.
  2. Garnish with fresh thyme sprigs and serve right away.

Notes

For the best browning, pat the chicken dry before seasoning and avoid moving it while it sears so the crust stays golden. Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container for up to 3 days; reheat gently in a skillet until warmed through (the sauce may thicken, so loosen with a splash of broth). Freezing is not recommended because cream sauces can separate after thawing. For a dairy-light option, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream, expecting a thinner sauce.