Crispy Chicken with a Creamy Irish Whiskey and Wild Mushroom Sauce

We serve this dish in my restaurants in Dublin, Clodagh’s Kitchen, during the cold winter months, and it’s akin to a big, warm hug in your tummy! The sweet sharpness of the Irish whiskey cuts through the cream and earthy wild mushrooms. Serve with any variation of my creamed potatoes.

Clodagh's Irish Kitchen

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 1/2 tablespoons butter

• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and left whole

• 4 supreme chicken filets (breast with wing bone attached), skin on

• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

• creamed potatoes, to serve

For the sauce:

• 3 1/2 tablespoons butter

• 2 shallots, peeled and finely chopped

• 10 1/2 ounces wild mushrooms

• 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon Irish Whiskey

• 1 1/4 cups half and half

• 1 tablespoon finely chopped tarragon

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2. Place an ovenproof skillet or grill pan over medium heat and add the olive oil and butter. Once they have warmed and the butter has melted, add the garlic cloves and place the chicken filets, skin side down, in the pan. Season with salt and black pepper.

3. Cook until the skin is crisp, 2 minutes, then turn over and cook on the other side for 2 minutes. Transfer the pan to the oven and cook for 20 minutes. The whole garlic cloves will add a very slight flavor to the chicken.

4. While the chicken is cooking, make the sauce: In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter, then add the shallots and wild mushrooms and cook for 3 minutes, stirring continuously. Pour in the whiskey and turn up the heat. Let simmer until the whiskey has reduced by half.

5. Stir in the half and half and tarragon. Season with salt and black pepper, reduce the heat to low, and cook for another 5 minutes.

6. Serve the dish on four warm plates. Divide your chosen creamed potatoes between the plates. Arrange the crispy chicken on top and spoon over the Irish whiskey and wild mushroom sauce.