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This Irish chicken is my cozy mashup of pub vibes and weeknight reality. Seared chicken thighs baked over bacon, cabbage, and potatoes, then I add a splash of Irish whiskey and a touch of cream to make the whole pan taste extra special.
Three Wee Reasons To Make This Tonight
- One pan dinner. Sear the chicken, tuck it over the bacon, cabbage, and potatoes, then let the oven do the heavy lifting.
- A better sauce. Most recipes stop at basic pan juices, but the Irish whiskey and a touch of cream make it glossy, rich, and craveable.
- Real comfort food energy. Bacon plus tender potatoes and cabbage turns into that cozy, stick to your ribs dinner that tastes like you cooked all day.
Irish Chicken Ingredients
- Chicken: You can use boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, just cut down the cooking time in the oven to 30 minutes.
- Cabbage: I used a mixture of purple and green cabbage to get a variation of color, but you can use one or the other.
- Whiskey: The whiskey can be replaced with chicken broth or apple juice if you don’t want to use alcohol. I used Jameson Irish Whiskey.
- Fresh Herbs: If you want to use fresh thyme, increase the amount to 1/2 teaspoon, or even up to 1 teaspoon.
How to Make Irish Chicken
I wanted to take all of the Irish chicken recipes I found online and put my own twist on them. The whiskey and cream really made everything come together! Make some Irish Soda Bread and Guinness cake for a festive St. Patrick’s Day meal!
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels, then combine the salt, onion powder, garlic powder, pepper, paprika, and thyme in a small bowl and rub evenly over the chicken. Set aside.
- Cook Bacon: Add bacon to a cold skillet and cook over medium, flipping halfway, until crisp, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate, then drain all but 1 tablespoon of the grease.
- Sear Chicken: Melt the butter in the skillet, then add the chicken skin-side down in batches and cook over medium heat for 6-7 minutes, flipping halfway through. Remove the chicken to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Drain off the fat except for about 1 tablespoon.
- Cook Cabbage: Add the cabbage and onion to the skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes, then remove from the heat. Combine the chicken broth, Irish whiskey, and cream, and pour over the cabbage. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add Potatoes: Add the baby potatoes and crumble the reserved bacon over the top.
- Bake Uncovered: Place the chicken on top of the cabbage and potatoes, skin-side up. Bake uncovered for 40-55 minutes, until the Irish chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F and the potatoes are fork-tender.
Alyssa’s Pro Tip
Make sure you use a large oven-safe skillet!
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Irish Chicken
Seared chicken thighs roast on a bed of bacon, cabbage, and potatoes while a whiskey-kissed cream sauce turns the pan juices silky and savory.
Equipment
- 1 14-inch skillet oven-safe
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1 ½ pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs about 5-6 thighs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
Cabbage and Potatoes
- 6 slices bacon
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter preferably
- 4 cups chopped cabbage about half a large head cut into ½-inch thick slices
- 1 cup diced onion about 1 medium onion
- ½ pound baby potatoes sliced in half lengthwise
- ¼ cup chicken broth
- ¼ cup Irish whiskey I used Jameson
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Pat 1 ½ pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs very dry with paper towels.
- Combine 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, ¼ teaspoon paprika, and ¼ teaspoon dried thyme in a small bowl, then rub evenly all over the chicken. Set aside.
- Add 6 slices bacon to a cold skillet, then heat over medium. Cook for about 8 minutes, flipping halfway through, until crisp. Remove the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Drain off all the bacon grease except for about a tablespoon.
- Melt 1 tablespoon unsalted butter in the skillet, then add the chicken skin-side-down to the skillet in batches and cook over medium heat for 6-7 minutes, flipping halfway through. Remove the chicken to a plate and drain the fat from the pan except for 1 tablespoon or so.
- Add 4 cups chopped cabbage and 1 cup diced onion to the skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes, then remove from the heat.
- Combine ¼ cup chicken broth, ¼ cup Irish whiskey, and ¼ cup heavy cream, then pour over the cabbage. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add ½ pound baby potatoes evenly over the top of the cabbage mixture, then crumble the reserved bacon over the top.
- Place the chicken on top of the cabbage and potatoes, keeping it skin-side-up. Bake uncovered for 40-55 minutes, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit and the potatoes are fork-tender.
Notes
Leftover & Make Ahead Instructions
- Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Reheat: Microwave in 30-second bursts or bake at 350°F for about 20 minutes, or until chicken reaches 165°F.
- Freezer: Not recommended.
- Make ahead: Chop the veggies and season the chicken a few hours ahead. Refrigerate the seasoned chicken, skin-side up, uncovered, to dry the skin for a crisp sear. Let the chicken sit at room temperature for 1 hour before cooking.
Nutrition
Calories: 432kcalCarbohydrates: 13gProtein: 21gFat: 30gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 125mgSodium: 659mgPotassium: 538mgFiber: 3gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 378IUVitamin C: 27mgCalcium: 48mgIron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Tried this recipe?Mention @alyssa_therecipecritic or tag #therecipecritic!
