Hot Toddy Chicken With Pancetta and Garlic Mashed Potatoes

French Tart's Note:

Tender chicken breasts cooked with whisky, honey & lemon; garnished with crisp pancetta slices & served on a bed of fluffy garlic infused mashed potatoes. A recipe devised for last Winter's evening meal menu - especially for candlelight & cosy fireside dining!! This is especially good all year around however & also works well with bourbon whisky too. Serve with any Winter greens, just lightly steamed & dressed in a little butter with freshly ground black pepper.Sublime!

• Total Time: 1 hrs
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 50 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 6

Hot Toddy Chicken

• 12 slices pancetta
• 6 boneless chicken breasts, with skin
• salt and black pepper
• 3 1/2 ounces butter, softened
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 lemons, juice and zest of
• 1/4 pint whiskey, of your choice
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 6 fluid ounces hot chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon flour

Garlic Mash

• 1 1/2 lbs potatoes, cut into small chunks
• 4 tablespoons single cream
• 2 ounces butter, softened
• 2 -4 garlic cloves, peeled & crushed
• salt and black pepper
• parsley, to garnish

Directions:

1. Cook the pancetta in a frying pan until crisp; set aside on kitchen paper.
2. Season the chicken well with salt & black pepper.Melt half of the butter & oil in a large frying pan - add the lemon zest & the chicken SKIN SIDE DOWN and fry until the skin is crispy & golden, about 5 minutes.Turn over and cook on the other side for about 3 minutes. Drain and place the chicken and the lemon zest on to a plate lined with kitchen paper & set aside.
3. Take the frying pan off the heat & add the whisky - return the pan to the heat for about 1 minute. Add the lemon juice, honey & the hot chicken stock. Mix the remaining butter with the flour and gradually whisk in to the whisky sauce in the pan until thickened slightly.
4. Return the chicken & lemon zest to the pan & simmer without a lid for about 25 to 30 minutes. Turn the chicken over half way through.
5. Meanwhile, cook the potatoes in boiling salted water until very soft. Drain & keeping the potatoes in the pan, add the butter, salt, pepper, garlic & cream to the potatoes inthe pan. Whisk until smooth or mash with a metal potato masher until smooth and there are no lumps remaining. Check seasoning and add more if necessary. Replace lid and keep warm.
6. Divide the garlic mash onto 6 warm dinner plates, top with the chicken and then 2 slices of pancetta for each serving. Drizzle over the hot toddy sauce & garnish with fresh parsley. Serve hot with lightly steamed winter greens.
7. A dish to satisfy & keep colds at bay!

Reviews

[Cooks4_6]

This was a nice alternative to Chicken Marsala or Chicken Picatta. I will put it in rotation for dinner, but will reduce the butter and perhaps grill the chicken to reduce some of the fat. It tastes fantastic! Thanks for posting

[carolinajewel]

Absolutely wonderful! I made this for a Burns Supper and it was a big hit. The one thing I changed was to use bacon instead of pancetta, as pancetta was not available at my grocery store. The flavor of the sauce is wonderful - the tartness and sweetness perfectly balanced with the smoky flavors of the bacon and whisky. I have already made this twice and will make it regularly since it was such a hit with my husband!

[CabinKat]

I thought this recipe was good. I'm not a big fan of hot toddy, BH is however. I feel the recipe would have been a tad better with some asagio cheese on top. I wouldn't mind trying this again with a change in a couple ingredients, like bacon instead of pancetta. Can't wait to try.