Alternatively titled “THE ONLY CHICKEN RECIPE YOU WILL EVER NEED.”
Ahem, that is to say, holy buckets you have got to try my Maple Bourbon Pecan Chicken, which is so good Ben wasn’t even mad I used some of his precious bourbon collection to test and tweak it to perfection.
Watch How to Make It!
Maybe it’s because I didn’t tell him until after he shoveled an entire chicken thigh into his mouth whilst telling me how delicious it was?
Before we go any further, I have to recognize that this plate of lusciousness is sponsored by Fisher Nuts. I used their buttery pecans, which contain zero preservatives, in this comfort food dish whose taste screams “CALORIES!” but recipe contains zero butter, cream, what else am I missing…cheese? Bacon? Yeah, none of that. Look for Fisher’s new resealable packaging which helps keep their nuts fresher, longer on store shelves now.
Maple Bourbon Pecan Chicken
Back to this sassy, sticky, delectable dish!
Chicken thighs are seared in a skillet before its deglazed by a shot of bourbon. Don’t keep a bottle of bourbon in the house? No problem – I’ve got a hack for that. Next, the chicken thighs are nestled back into the skillet with a maple-dijon pan sauce then simmered until tender with a sprinkling of chopped pecans.
Totally foolproof. Literally I don’t think it’s possible to overcook chicken thighs – they just get more tender and juicy as they cook, and once drizzled with the thickened and syrupy sauce at the end? GET OUT.
Now, bourbon and pecans go together like pecans and maple syrup, which is to say the three of them combined in this dish are just heavenly. The bourbon flavor is more of a whisper then shout, and lends a subtle, caramel-y background note that I’d definitely miss if it were left out. All that said, this dish is not sweet – it’s got the perfect balance of flavors.
20 minutes, 1 skillet, pantry staples, absolutely incredible – make this tonight!
How to Make This Recipe
Start by adding gluten free flour to a shallow dish then generously season with salt and pepper. Dredge boneless skinless chicken thighs in the seasoned flour then shake to remove any excess flour and place onto a plate.
Next get the sauce ready – in a bowl whisk together:
- Chicken broth
- Chopped Fisher Naturals Pecan Halves
- Maple syrup (not pancake syrup)
- Dijon mustard
- Apple cider vinegar
- Gluten-free tamari or soy sauce (dish will not be GF if using traditional soy sauce)
- Dried rosemary
(The white bits are just fat from homemade chicken stock floating throughout!)
Set the sauce aside then heat extra virgin olive oil in a 12″ cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken thighs then sear until golden brown on one side, 1-2 minutes, and then flip and sear until golden brown on the other. The chicken does not need to be cooked through at this point. Remove the chicken to a plate then set aside.
Next, remove the skillet from the heat then add 2 Tablespoons bourbon. Two things:
- Be careful, as the bourbon will bubble and evaporate almost immediately from the heat of the skillet, and if you have a gas range it might ignite briefly.
- If you don’t keep bourbon in the house – no worries! These tiny, 1(ish)-shot bottles are usually available behind the counter at the liquor or grocery store. So adorable, and so much easier than buying an entire bottle if you won’t drink it.
Add the maple sauce to the skillet then return it to the heat and bring the liquid to a simmer. Nestle the chicken thighs into the liquid then loosely cover the skillet with foil, turn the heat down to medium, then simmer until the sauce has thickened and the thighs are cooked through, 10 minutes.
I nestled my Maple Bourbon Pecan Chicken onto a pile of mashed potatoes then drizzled a few spoonfuls of the lip-smacking sauce on top. An arugula, parmesan, lemon and olive oil salad on the side rounds out this absolutely insane meal. I hope you love, love, LOVE it! Enjoy!
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Maple Bourbon Pecan Chicken
Description
Maple Bourbon Pecan Chicken is sinfully delicious - you'll lick your plate clean! This 1-skillet chicken recipe is ready in just 20 minutes.
Ingredients
- 1-1/4lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1/2 cup gluten-free flour
- salt and pepper
- 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons bourbon (I like Maker's Mark)
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1/4 cup Fisher Naturals Pecan Halves, chopped
- 3 Tablespoons maple syrup (not pancake syrup)
- 1 Tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons gluten-free tamari or soy sauce (dish will not be GF if using traditional soy sauce)
- 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed between your fingers
Directions
- Add flour to a shallow dish then season generously with salt and pepper. Dredge each chicken thigh in the seasoned flour then shake to remove excess and place onto a plate. In a medium-sized bowl whisk together chicken broth, maple syrup, chopped pecans, dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, gluten-free tamari, and dried rosemary then set aside.
- Heat extra virgin olive oil in a 12" cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add chicken thighs then sear until golden brown on one side, 1-2 minutes, searing in batches if needed to avoid overcrowding the skillet. Flip then sear until golden brown on the other side, and then transfer back to the plate - chicken does not need to be cooked through at this point.
- Remove skillet from heat then carefully add the bourbon - most of it should evaporate very quickly (use caution if you have a gas range as the alcohol could flame briefly.) Return skillet to the heat then add the maple syrup mixture. Turn heat up to bring the liquid to a simmer then turn heat down to medium and nestle the chicken back into the skillet. Loosely cover the skillet with a piece of foil then simmer until the sauce has reduced and the chicken is cooked through, 10 minutes, flipping the thighs in the sauce once or twice.
- Plate chicken then scoop sauce over the top and serve.
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
Allison Frederick 03.20.2017
Oh this looks GOOD! Those chicken thighs look so nice and thin. Did you pound them down? Chicken at the store is always so huge and thick these days.
Kristin 03.20.2017
Thanks Allison! I didn’t have to pound these thin. I’m thinking maybe the giant ones you saw at the store were bone-in? Those are definitely big honkers!
Carrie 03.20.2017
I am thinking of using bone-in thighs (that’s what I have on hand). Would it be better to bake in the oven due to the increased cooking time?
Kristin 03.20.2017
I’m thinking so. Maybe use this recipe as your guide, and just add glugs of chicken broth if the sauce reduces too far down while baking. Let me know how it turns out – I was going to test bone in thighs but never got around to it! https://iowagirleats.com/2016/09/12/pan-roasted-chicken-thighs-and-rice/
GfJeff 03.18.2017
Maple Bourbon Pecan Chicken is absolutely amazing. I made the dish for dinner tonight and I will be making it again. A savory flavor, tender chicken paired well with bacon garlic green beans was delightful experience. Thank you for sharing your recipe.
Kristin 03.20.2017
Yum, I love your choice of side dish! Thanks so much for leaving your feedback!
sarah 03.18.2017
ok- update- first of all – that chicken recipe is SO FREAKING AMAZING – there are no real words…. we’ve decided that this is now our go to company dinner bc its not hard but its SO GOOD. also the waffle sitch was key ;)
Kristin 03.18.2017
Oh my gosh, I’m so, so glad – love the sounds of the sweet potato waffles, too!! Thanks for the great feedback, Sarah!
Alice macalla 03.18.2017
Just looking at these pictures on my iPad makes me hungry. What a talent you have.
Kristin 03.18.2017
Love you Grandma!! ?
Sarah 03.18.2017
OMG… I was getting ready to make this for my husband and i was going to make sweet potato mash since thats what i had… and he suggests we make SWEET POTATO WAFFLES with the chicken….!!! this chicken looks amazing and i think this is going to be an EPIC combo :)
Mona 03.18.2017
Any non-alcoholic suggestions for the sauce ( we don’t have alcohol at home)?
Kristin 03.18.2017
You can use the mini bottle I showed or just skip that step!
Emilie in MN 03.17.2017
Kristin, I made this tonight for dinner and it was awesome! My husband also licked his plate clean, so I can already tell this will be in heavy rotation for a while. Thanks for another great GF dinner!
Kristin 03.18.2017
Wohoo! So glad to hear it (and good to know my husband isn’t alone!) ;) Thanks for the great feedback!
Pauline 03.17.2017
Never mind! I just re-read your story and found the mashed potatoes and arugula salad. Many thanks!
Pauline 03.17.2017
Gotta try it! Any suggested side dishes?
Kristin 03.17.2017
The mashed potatoes and arugula salad I served it with are awesome – otherwise any roasted vegetable would be great too!
Nicki 03.17.2017
My cast iron skillet has a lid. Any particular reason why I would need to use the foil instead of just plopping the lid on it?
Kristin 03.17.2017
(Lucky!) I would place it partially on top to let the sauce reduce as it simmers!
Karla 03.17.2017
Kristin, my husband loves to cook in cast iron skillets but we don’t use cast iron on our flat top stove because we were told it could damage the surface of the stove. Thoughts?
Kristin 03.17.2017
Good question – the skillet in my pictures is enameled so the bottom is smooth. That said, we also have a classic cast iron and haven’t had an issue with our flat stop scratching. This recipe doesn’t call for a lot of stirring or anything so the skillet doesn’t move around much, if that helps you make a decision on whether or not to use it!
Terri 03.17.2017
Oh, that looks delish! We are big chicken thigh eaters in my house, and we always have bourbon on hand for my Old Fashioneds! (I love Cedar Ridge’s bourbon whiskey…made in Iowa!)
Kristin 03.17.2017
This recipe has your name written all over it, Terri! I visited the Cedar Ridge distillery a few years ago – so beautiful!!
Debi 03.17.2017
My husband will not eat dark meat, but LOVES bourbon, maple syrup, and pecans :). Do you have suggestions regarding substituting chicken breasts – like cooking time?
Kristin 03.17.2017
I think the same cooking time would apply to chicken breasts!
Rita 03.17.2017
The arugula, parmesan, lemon and olive oil salad accompaniment sounds fantastic. Can you provide a recipe?
Kristin 03.17.2017
It’s so good and so easy – no recipe needed! Just whisked together fresh lemon juice with extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper and parmesan cheese until I liked the flavor, then tossed with fresh arugula. ??
Sharon 03.17.2017
Looks delicious. I am on Weight Watchers and wonder if you could either supply Smart Points Value or the nutritional information so I can calculate it?
Kristin 03.17.2017
Hi Sharon! I’d recommend Livestrong’s recipe calculator tool if you need that information! http://livestrong.com/recipes/create/
Amanda|The Kitcheneer 03.17.2017
Oh my yum! My husband would be licking his plate clean too! :D
Kathy 03.17.2017
How necessary is a cast iron skillet? We have a very old one – which I know sometimes means it’s a good one – but I’m not convinced it was taken care of properly. Would a normal pan work?
Kristin 03.17.2017
I’m sure it’d be just fine to use a nonstick or stainless steel skillet!
Sara @ Last Night's Feast 03.17.2017
That sounds like a really delicious flavor combination! Thanks for sharing =)
Trisha 03.17.2017
Ohmygosh. I’ve never wanted chicken for breakfast as much as I do right now. We just received a giant bottle of Maker’s Mark as a gift, and we’re not big bourbon drinkers (shh! don’t tell Ben!) so I’ve been dreaming up ways to bake and cook with it. This is going on the list!
Kristin 03.17.2017
Oh perfect! And even if you think you don’t like bourbon, try mixing it with apple cider and ginger beer. OMG.