Whiskey Chicken over Mashed Potatoes

Someone likes Jack Daniels.

Not me.  I'm more of a bourbon fan.  Jim Beam and I are old pals.

But my guy really has a thing for the famous Tennessee whiskey.  For Christmas, I bought him a bottle of Jack and a bottle of their cider variety, Winter Jack.  Two of his closest friends also bought him bottles.  So, now, we have four bottles.  Or, should I say, HAD four bottles.  We are down to about two bottles, seeing as he drank two half bottles of the original and the whole bottle of Winter Jack since Christmas.

Someone REALLY likes Jack Daniels.

Since I'm not a big JD fan, I decided to put these bottles to use in recipes because that's where my mind goes naturally -- "How can I cook with it?"

My first idea was homemade barbecue sauce, simply because I already knew that Jack Daniels had their own barbecue sauce franchise.  That seemed like a lot of work on a lazy day.  TGI Fridays has some signature sauces and glazes incorporating whiskey, but that, too, seemed like a lot to handle on a day when I don't have a lot of energy to do much.

Then, I found this recipe at Spicy Southern Kitchen, and I mustered up the energy for that.  At first, I really only picked it because it was a whole meal, rather than making a sauce and still having to come up with a meal plan to accompany it.  The more I read it though, the more I wanted to try it.  It definitely sounded different, but it also had a creamy base that sounded really comforting and satisfying.  I imagined that the whiskey would provide just a hint of smokey heat that would warm my bones on a cold day like today.

Once I finally made it and tested it, the taste was just what I thought it would be and nothing what I expected, all at the same time.  The creamy texture was heavenly.  I'm such a fan of creamy sauces, to the point that I'm pretty sure alfredo sauce is my chicken noodle soup substitute.  It feels good to my heart and soul.

I put the sauce and chicken over mashed potatoes.  I don't know why.  I was hankering for mashed potatoes, too, I suppose.  I feel like any time you smother a hunk of chicken in sauce, it requires some type of carb.  You need a vessel for scooping up all the sauce and juices that accumulate on your plate.  A plate of plain, lightly salted mashed potatoes is perfect.  It absorbs some of the creamy sauce and flavors them with a hint of whiskey flavor.

There's no burn.  I should have anticipated that when I lit the whiskey on fire.  I expected a faint warmth down my throat, but what I got instead was the flavor of the oak barrel-taste you know from whiskey.  It's different, but it's really good.  And, I can say that as someone who really doesn't like whiskey.

All in all, it's a really tasty dinner option when you've only got a little whiskey left over and it makes an unusual but delicious sauce that really turns your chicken and potatoes up a notch!

















Whiskey Chicken over Pasta
(adapted from Spicy Southern Kitchen)

1 lb. potatoes, cooked and mashed (you can use your favorite recipe here)1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 white onion, finely diced
2 tbsp minced garlic
1/2 cup whiskey (I used Jack Daniels)
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon water1/2 tsp dried parsley
1/4 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp Italian seasoning


Saute onions in olive oil over medium heat until fragrant and
translucent, about 3-5 minutes.  Add garlic and cook an additional
minute.

Add chicken and cook until no longer pink.

Add whiskey and carefully ignite the alcohol.  Once the flames go out,
add the chicken stock and let simmer uncovered for 20 minutes.

Add cream and cook an additional 5-7 minutes, letting the mixture
simmer and thicken.

Mix the cornstarch and water together in a cup and more into the cream
mixture.  Stir to incorporate and let the mixture continue to thicken.

Add the parsley, basil, Italian seasoning.  Season to taste.

Place chicken on a bed of mashed potatoes and pour sauce over the top.