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Meat, Northern, Eastern and Western France

Beer braised chicken with steamed potatoes

Beer braised chicken with steamed potatoes is a creamy braise of free range chicken, mushrooms, and cream, serving 4, ready in 1 hour 30 minutes, easy to make, for about €3.30 per person. The key is a full flavored blonde beer and a gentle simmer that keeps the breast meat tender.

What if we swapped the wine for beer? Let me suggest a creamy beer braised chicken with steamed potatoes.

Beer braised chicken with steamed potatoes
Total time
1 h 30
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€3.30
Calories per person
530 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Fall
The kids
They generally like it

The sauce in this dish is surprisingly smooth. Blonde beer brings a light malty bitterness that blends with heavy cream without ever taking over. Mushrooms seared in a hot pan have more bite and flavor than if they had simply released their water. The free range chicken, simmered covered, stays tender and falls easily off the bone.

This is a weeknight dish that also earns its place on a Sunday table, especially in fall or winter when you want something warming. Mon Chou suggests it as a change from the usual coq au vin, with a milder sauce that kids tend to accept easily. The plain steamed potatoes leave all the room for the sauce.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Free range chicken pieces 1.4 kg

Fruits and vegetables

  • White mushrooms 300 g
  • Shallots 3
  • Thyme 3 sprigs
  • Potatoes 900 g

Pantry

  • Blonde beer 33 cl
  • Flouroften in the pantry 1 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Dairy

  • Heavy cream 20 cl
  • Butter 30 g

Allergens Gluten, Lactose

The step by step recipe

  1. Brown the chicken pieces in the butter, skin side down first, then set them aside. 12 min

    Let the skin color well without moving it, it releases on its own once ready.

  2. Cook the sliced shallots and quartered mushrooms in the same pot, then dust with flour.

    Sear the mushrooms over high heat, they should brown rather than release their water.

  3. Pour in the beer, add back the chicken with the thyme, season with salt and pepper, and let it simmer covered. 40 min

    A gentle simmer is enough, a strong boil dries out the breast meat.

  4. Meanwhile, cook the peeled potatoes by steaming or in salted water. 25 min

    Pierce them with the tip of a knife, it should go in without resistance.

  5. Stir the cream into the chicken, let it thicken for five minutes, and serve with the potatoes. 5 min

    Add the cream off the strong boil so it doesn't split.

Our tips to get it right

  • Use a pot wide enough that the chicken pieces brown without overlapping, otherwise they'll release water instead of coloring.
  • Taste the sauce before adding the cream, that's the moment to adjust the salt since the cream softens everything afterward.
  • If the sauce seems too thin after the cream has cooked in, let it simmer uncovered a minute or two longer over low heat.

The variations

  • Swap the blonde beer for an amber beer for a rounder, slightly caramelized sauce.
  • For a meatless version, replace the chicken with mixed mushrooms and pumpkin chunks, keeping the same simmering time.
  • For kids in a hurry, cut the chicken into smaller pieces before cooking, this shortens the cooking time and makes it easier to eat.

What to serve it with

  • Crusty bread for the sauce
  • A sharply dressed green salad
  • A glass of the same beer

Storage

This dish keeps for 2 to 3 days in the refrigerator in a sealed container. It freezes well without the potatoes, for up to 2 months. Reheat it gently in a saucepan, adding a splash of water or cream if the sauce has thickened.

Questions about this dish

Can you make this beer braised chicken ahead of time?

Yes, you can prepare it the day before up to the step with the cream. Reheat gently the next day, then stir in the cream at the last moment so it stays smooth.

What beer works best for this dish?

A full flavored blonde beer, not too bitter, makes the best sauce. Avoid heavily hopped beers since their bitterness gets stronger during cooking and can overpower the dish.

Can you substitute the heavy cream?

You can use full fat liquid cream instead, the sauce will just be slightly thinner. Avoid low fat cream, which can split during cooking.

How do you know when the chicken is fully cooked?

Pierce the thickest part of a piece, the juices should run clear, not pink. After 40 minutes of covered simmering, free range chicken is usually cooked through.

How long does it take to make a beer braised chicken with steamed potatoes?

Count 1 h 30 in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in a beer braised chicken with steamed potatoes?

About 530 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a beer braised chicken with steamed potatoes cost?

About €3.30 per serving, or €13.20 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten, lactose. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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