Creamy Pepperoncini Chicken with Garlic and Pepperoncini Brine
By Pauline Ortiz
15 min
Prep
25 min
Cook
40 min
Total
4
Servings
Medium
Level
This creamy-sauce chicken dish with pepperoncini makes a great pan dish for me when I want a creamy-sauce meal. Browned chicken is simmered in a light cream sauce with pepperoncini juice and sliced peppers to add a tart flavor that pairs well with the cream.
I pound the chicken breasts to 3/4-inch thickness and dry them with paper towels before cooking. If you add a few drops of water to a 12-inch black cast iron skillet, they will sizzle and quickly evaporate, signaling that the skillet is hot enough to cook the chicken. This is a test I always do. I suggest using a meat mallet. It will help the chicken cook more evenly throughout. Adding too much chicken to the pan may result in steaming rather than browning.
After browning the chicken, scrape the pan contents with a wooden spoon before adding stock and brine. Add cream slowly. Take the sauce off the heat when it covers the chicken and looks opaque but not watery. I like to add coarse black pepper to the sauce instead of ground black pepper to keep the sauce from turning gray.
I serve the skillet with buttered noodles or mashed potatoes and top them with parsley and freshly ground black pepper before serving. Spicy garlic beef croquettes are also an option to serve with the skillet if desired.
What makes this special
- One skillet is used to prepare the meal. Food residue remains in that skillet.
- It feeds four; buttered noodles or garlic mashed potatoes are good options for absorbing sauce.
- Pepperoncini contribute a sharp, flavorful element that some people who don't like very spicy peppers enjoy.
- The chicken has been flattened so that it cooks evenly on the inside and outside.
- Coarse cracked pepper and parsley as toppings enhance the taste and appearance of individual servings. Less to wash.
- A cast iron skillet builds a browned crust before adding cream.
Ingredients
- •1 ½ lb boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
- •1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- •2 tbsp unsalted butter (divided)
- •½ cup sliced pepperoncini peppers (drained rings)
- •2 tbsp pepperoncini brine
- •1 cup heavy cream
- •½ cup low-sodium chicken stock
- •3 cloves garlic (minced)
- •¼ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley (chopped, for garnish)
- •1 tsp cracked black pepper (coarsely ground)
- •kosher salt (to taste)
Instructions
- 1
Trim any excess fat from the chicken breasts.
- 2
Pound the chicken between sheets of plastic wrap to a uniform 3/4-inch (2cm) thickness.
- 3
Pat the chicken thoroughly dry with paper towels.
- 4
Season the chicken with kosher salt.
- 5
Heat a 12-inch (30cm) black cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until a drop of water dances and evaporates instantly.
- 6
Add the olive oil and 1 tbsp of the butter, then swirl until the foam subsides.
- 7
Place the chicken in the skillet without crowding the pan, working in batches if needed.
- 8
Sear the chicken for 5-6 minutes per side, leaving it undisturbed until a deep golden-brown crust forms.
- 9
Move the seared chicken to a plate.
- 10
Lower the heat to medium.
- 11
Melt the remaining 1 tbsp butter in the skillet.
- 12
Add the garlic and pepperoncini rings, then sauté for 1 minute until the garlic is fragrant but not burnt.
- 13
Pour in the chicken stock and pepperoncini brine.
- 14
Scrape the browned bits from the skillet with a wooden spoon.
- 15
Slowly whisk in the heavy cream.
- 16
Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer and reduce it by about a third, until it is thick and pale.
- 17
Return the chicken and any juices to the skillet.
- 18
Spoon the sauce over the chicken and simmer for another 2-3 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).
- 19
Let the chicken rest in the sauce off the heat for 5 minutes.
- 20
Garnish heavily with parsley and cracked black pepper before serving.
FAQ
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
485
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