St. Patrick's Day Chicken: What's The Deal?

what chicken is associated with st patrick

St. Patrick's Day is celebrated annually on March 17, honouring the life and death of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. The holiday is marked by parades, shamrocks, and all things Irish, including traditional Irish food. One such dish is the 'Stout Drunken Chicken', a St. Patrick's Day special by Chef Sabrina Mancin. This chicken dish is cooked with stout beer and served with mashed potatoes.

Characteristics Values
Name of the dish Stout Drunken Chicken
Number of ingredients 4
Ingredients Chicken thighs, red onion, garlic cloves, Guinness beer or stout, butter, evoo, salt, and black pepper
Cooking time 15 minutes
Cooking instructions Cover the pan to steam-cook, add splashes of water if necessary, pat dry the chicken thighs, season with salt and pepper, sear for 5 minutes, deglaze with beer
Serving suggestion Mashed potatoes

cychicken

Stout Drunken Chicken

St. Patrick's Day is a great time to indulge in some delicious, traditional Irish food and drink. A popular choice for the occasion is stout drunken chicken, a dish that is full of flavor and quick to make. This recipe uses chicken thighs, but you can also adapt it to use a whole chicken.

Ingredients

  • 4 chicken thighs (with or without skin)
  • 1 red onion
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 1 bottle (330 ml) of Guinness beer or your favorite stout
  • 2 tablespoons of butter
  • 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil (evoo)
  • Salt and black pepper

Method

Heat a sauté pan with 2 tablespoons of butter and 1 tablespoon of evoo. Thinly slice the onions, add them to the pan, and season with salt and pepper. Cover the pan and cook the onions for about 15 minutes, until they are soft and caramelized.

Pat dry the chicken thighs with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Add the remaining evoo to the pan and heat to medium-high. Place the chicken thighs top side down and sear for about 5 minutes, until golden brown. Once seared, flip the chicken over, add the onions, garlic cloves, and deglaze with the beer.

Transfer everything to a baking dish and cook in the oven for 40 minutes, or longer if you want to reduce the beer and thicken the sauce. Serve the chicken with mashed potatoes to soak up all the delicious juices.

Variations

There are many ways to make drunken chicken, and you can adapt this recipe to your taste. You could try using different herbs and spices, such as bay leaves, star anise, or cloves. Alternatively, you can try a different cooking method, such as grilling or poaching the chicken, and using wine instead of beer.

cychicken

Chicken with Irish soda bread

St. Patrick's Day is a great time to enjoy some delicious Irish-inspired dishes, and one popular option is to pair chicken with Irish soda bread. Here is a suggested menu and recipes for a St. Patrick's Day feast featuring chicken and Irish soda bread.

The Menu

For your St. Patrick's Day celebration, you can start with a hearty bowl of potato leek soup, a traditional Irish dish that is perfect for warming up on a chilly March day. For the main course, you can serve "Stout Drunken Chicken," a dish featuring chicken thighs cooked in a rich sauce made with stout beer, onions, and garlic. This flavourful dish is best served with a side of mashed potatoes and a loaf of freshly baked Irish soda bread. For dessert, why not try some lucky charm cookies or a chocolate whoopie pie?

The Recipes

Irish Soda Bread

Irish soda bread is a simple, no-yeast bread that is perfect for baking beginners. It only requires four basic ingredients: all-purpose flour, salt, baking soda, and buttermilk. Traditional Irish soda bread does not include raisins or currants, but you can add them if desired. Simply mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl, then add buttermilk and stir until a soft dough forms. Pour the batter into a bread pan and bake until golden brown. The bread will be ready in under an hour, and it goes perfectly with some honey butter slathered on top.

Stout Drunken Chicken

For this chicken dish, you will need the following ingredients: 4 chicken thighs (with or without skin), 1 red onion, 3 garlic cloves, 1 bottle (330 ml) of Guinness beer or your favourite stout, 2 tablespoons of butter, 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, and salt and black pepper to taste. Start by heating a sauté pan with 2 tablespoons of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Thinly slice the onion, add it to the pan, and season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 15 minutes until the onions are soft and caramelized. Remove the onions from the pan and set aside. Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Add the remaining olive oil to the pan and heat to medium-high. Place the chicken top-side down and sear for about 5 minutes until golden brown. Season the other side with salt and pepper, then flip the chicken over and add the onions, garlic, and beer to the pan. Transfer everything to a baking dish and bake until the chicken is cooked through. Serve the chicken with the thick sauce drizzled on top, along with some mashed potatoes and Irish soda bread.

cychicken

Chicken and cabbage

St Patrick's Day is a global celebration of Irish culture that takes place on March 17 every year. It is the anniversary of the death of St Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, in the fifth century. While St Patrick's Day is celebrated with parades, shamrocks, and all things Irish, there is no specific chicken dish associated with the day. However, there are several Irish-inspired chicken recipes that you can make to celebrate St Patrick's Day, such as the Shamrock Chicken Noodle Soup.

Ingredients

  • 4 chicken thighs (with or without skin)
  • 1 small head of cabbage, shredded
  • 1 red onion, thinly sliced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 bottle (330 ml) of Guinness beer or your favourite stout
  • 2 tablespoons of butter
  • 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
  • Salt and black pepper, to taste

Instructions

  • Heat a sauté pan over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of EVOO.
  • Once the butter has melted, add the sliced onions to the pan and season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and caramelized.
  • Remove the onions from the pan and set aside. Do not rinse the pan.
  • Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels and season both sides with salt and pepper.
  • Add the remaining tablespoon of butter and 2 tablespoons of EVOO to the pan and heat until hot.
  • Place the chicken thighs in the pan, top-side down, and sear for about 5 minutes, or until golden brown.
  • Flip the chicken over and add the garlic and cabbage to the pan. Cook for an additional 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage is slightly wilted and the garlic is fragrant.
  • Deglaze the pan with the bottle of beer and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
  • Return the caramelized onions to the pan and stir to combine.
  • Reduce the heat to a simmer and cover the pan. Cook for an additional 15-20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the cabbage is tender.
  • Serve the chicken and cabbage with a side of mashed potatoes or soda bread for a true Irish treat.

Feel free to add some extra Irish flavour to this dish by using Irish butter or a splash of Irish whiskey in the pan sauce. You can also substitute the chicken thighs with chicken breasts or legs if you prefer.

cychicken

Chicken noodle soup

St Patrick's Day is a global celebration of Irish culture that takes place annually on 17 March, the anniversary of the death of St Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, in the fifth century. The holiday has spiritual meaning in Ireland, where it has been observed as a religious holiday for over 1,000 years.

St Patrick's Day is known for its parades, shamrocks, and all things Irish. Traditional dishes include corned beef and cabbage, shepherd's pie, and Irish soda bread.

Ingredients:

  • Chicken broth
  • Chicken breasts
  • Onion
  • Carrots
  • Celery
  • Garlic
  • Egg noodles
  • Bay leaf
  • Thyme
  • Parsley
  • Salt and pepper
  • Shamrock cutouts made from cooked lasagna sheets (optional)

Instructions:

Start by preparing the chicken broth. You can make your own by boiling chicken bones and vegetables, or use store-bought broth for convenience. Chop up the vegetables and sauté them in a large pot with some olive oil until they are soft. Add the chicken broth and bring it to a boil. Cut the chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces and add them to the pot. Simmer the soup until the chicken is cooked through.

Next, add the egg noodles and cook according to the package instructions, or until al dente. Stir in the bay leaf, thyme, and parsley, and season with salt and pepper to taste. If you want to make the soup more festive, create shamrock-shaped cutouts from cooked lasagna sheets and add them to the soup. These can be made by cutting lasagna sheets into shamrock shapes using a cookie cutter, then boiling them until they are soft and ready to serve.

Finally, ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with chopped parsley and a sprinkle of black pepper. Serve with some crusty bread on the side for a heartwarming and delicious St Patrick's Day treat.

This recipe is perfect for a cozy St Patrick's Day lunch or dinner and can be easily adapted to your taste preferences. Feel free to add more vegetables or spices, or substitute the chicken with another protein of your choice. Enjoy!

cychicken

Chicken with Guinness

Ingredients

  • 2 chicken thighs (boneless and skinless, or with skin on and bone-in)
  • 1 red onion
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 1 bottle (330 ml) of Guinness Extra Stout or any stout beer
  • 2 tablespoons of butter
  • 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
  • Salt and black pepper, for seasoning

Optional Ingredients

  • Brown sugar
  • Honey
  • Soy sauce
  • Apple cider vinegar
  • Fine sea salt
  • Paprika powder
  • Onion powder
  • Cayenne pepper

Instructions

  • Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season both sides with salt and pepper, onion powder, and sweet paprika powder.
  • Heat oil in a skillet or a sauté pan. Place the chicken thighs in the hot pan, skin-side down. Sear for about 5 minutes or until golden brown.
  • Flip the chicken and cook for another 3 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside.
  • In the same pan, heat 2 tablespoons of butter and 1 tablespoon of EVOO. Thinly slice the onions, add them to the pan, and season with salt and pepper. Cover the pan.
  • Cook the onions for about 15 minutes or until they are soft and caramelized. If they start to burn, add a few splashes of water.
  • Remove the onions from the pan and set them aside. Do not rinse the pan.
  • To make the glaze, boil the Guinness, along with brown sugar, honey, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, garlic, and spices (if using). Simmer gently on medium heat until the mixture thickens and reduces by half. This should take about 4-5 minutes.
  • Reduce the heat to medium and pour the thickened Guinness sauce over the chicken. Continue cooking the chicken, uncovered, for about 15 minutes, turning it over a few times to coat both sides.
  • Serve the chicken with the sauce and some mashed potatoes or Irish soda bread on the side.

Tips

  • You can use chicken breasts or wings instead of thighs. If using breasts, cut them into smaller pieces. If using wings, bake them and pour the glaze over them. Adjust the cooking time accordingly.
  • For a gluten-free version, use a gluten-free beer and ensure other ingredients like soy sauce and vinegar are also gluten-free.
  • You can make this dish ahead of time and reheat it in the oven, microwave, or skillet.

Frequently asked questions

Stout Drunken Chicken, which includes chicken thighs, red onion, garlic cloves, Guinness beer, butter, olive oil, salt and pepper.

Corned beef and cabbage, shepherd's pie, soda bread, chocolate whoopie pies, and green-themed treats like grasshopper bars and green tea cookies.

St. Patrick's Day is a global celebration of Irish culture that takes place annually on March 17, commemorating the death of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, in the fifth century.

Written by
Reviewed by
Share this post
Print
Did this article help you?

Leave a comment