Irish Stout Braised Chicken

Irish Stout Braised Chicken 

This hearty dish is rich, flavorful, and perfect for a cozy St. Patrick’s Day meal

Ingredients:

• 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 onion, sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 3 small potatoes, halved
• 1 cup Irish stout beer (like Guinness)
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp fresh thyme (or ½ tsp dried)
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp cornstarch (optional, for thickening)

Instructions:

1. Sear the Chicken: Heat olive oil and butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, then sear skin-side down for 3–4 minutes until golden brown. Flip and cook for another 2 minutes. Remove and set aside.

2. Sauté the Aromatics: In the same pot, sauté the onion and garlic for 2–3 minutes until soft. Stir in the carrots and potatoes.

3. Deglaze with Stout: Pour in the Irish stout beer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Let it simmer for 2 minutes to cook off some alcohol.

4. Build the Sauce: Stir in chicken broth, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, and thyme. Return the chicken to the pot, skin-side up.

5. Simmer & Braise: Reduce heat to low, cover, and let it simmer for 40 minutes until the chicken is tender and flavors meld together.

6. Thicken the Sauce (Optional): Mix 1 tsp cornstarch with 2 tsp water and stir it into the sauce to thicken.

7. Serve & Enjoy: Plate the chicken with the braised vegetables and drizzle the sauce on top. Serve with mashed potatoes or Irish soda bread