Name: Guinness Beer-Braised Chicken Thighs
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 65 min
Total time: 75 min
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon brown sugar; 1.5 teaspoons chili powder; .125 teaspoon cayenne pepper (1/8th teaspoon - add more for added heat); .25 teaspoon sea salt; .25 teaspoon ground black pepper; 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (excess fat trimmed); 1 tablespoon olive oil; 8 skinny whole carrots (peeled and cut in half); 1 cup chopped celery; 1 medium yellow onion (sliced); .75 pound petite potatoes (sliced in half lengthwise); 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour; 12 ounce bottle Guinness® Stout Beer; 0.5 cup chicken stock; 5 whole cloves garlic (peeled); fresh thyme sprigs to garnish

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Last Updated on February 26, 2023 by Lisa Johnson

The entire family will love the deep, rich flavors in these Guinness Beer-Braised Chicken Thighs with carrots and petite potatoes! Use a fork, use your fingers, use chopsticks if you need to… just make sure you make these amazing meal soon!

Check out this Irish Pub Food page for even more delicious Irish recipes.

Guinness Beer-Braised Chicken Thighs with carrots, thyme sprigs, and petite potatoes in a cast iron skillet.

And the gravy….OMGosh the chicken-Guinness®-onion-garlic infused juices make the most amazing gravy.

The alcohol will cook out so we don’t have to worry about the kiddies getting drunk, but the flavor sticks around to enhance the entire meal.

Guinness Beer-Braised Chicken Thighs drizzled with gravy on a dinner plate.

Guinness Beer-Braised Chicken Thighs are easy enough for weeknight meals, and fancy enough to impress dinner guests!

How do you make Guinness Beer-Braised Chicken Thighs?

Combine the brown sugar, chili powder, salt, cayenne, and black pepper together in a small bowl.

Sprinkle the spice mixture evenly over the chicken thighs. Rub the mixture over both sides of the chicken thighs.

Eight spice rubbed chicken thighs resting on a baking sheet.

Let stand for 10 minutes.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, skin side down.

Chicken skin side down in a large cast iron skillet.

Cook until the chicken is browned and the skin is crisp. Flip the chicken over and brown the second side.

Browned chicken flipped over in the cast iron skillet.

Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.

Add the carrots, celery, onion, and potatoes to the drippings in the skillet.

Carrots, potato halves, sliced onions, and celery slices cooking in a cast iron skillet.

Cook until the onions and celery are tender, about five minutes, stirring occasionally to keep them from burning.

Stir in the flour.

Flour sprinkled over the vegetables in the cast iron skillet.

Add the beer, broth, and garlic. Stir to combine.

Beer simmering with vegetables in the cast iron skillet.

Bring to a simmer, then return the chicken thighs to the skillet.

Browned chicken thighs and vegetables in a cast iron skillet.

Cover and cook until chicken thighs are thoroughly cooked (at least 180 degrees), 40 to 50 minutes.

Garnish with fresh thyme sprigs and celery leaves (or chopped parsley) and serve.

Guinness Beer-Braised Chicken Thighs small potatoes, carrots, thyme, and parsley in a cast iron skillet.

So, so, yummy!! I removed 1 cup of the pan drippings to make the gravy before taking the pictures. I didn’t think walking across the house with a hot skillet filled with hot liquid would be a good idea! 😉

Recipe Notes

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Trim the excess fat/skin off the chicken thighs.

Chicken thigh sitting on a cutting board with excess skin attached.

with kitchen shears or a sharp knife.

Excess skin removed from chicken thigh with kitchen shears.

It makes the chicken thighs look nicer, and none of us really needs to eat that much chicken skin, right? 😉

I chose the thinnest carrots in the bag. Peeled them, then cut them in half to shorten them so they would fit in the pan.
The petite potatoes are sliced in half lengthwise so they cook evenly.
I used this 12-inch Cast Iron Skillet and a lid from a different skillet.
I chose Guinness®for the deep, rich flavor that it adds. Use whichever beer you prefer, it will still be delicious.
There are no substitutions for the beer, except maybe wine!

How do you make gravy with pan drippings?

In a medium sauce pan, melt butter or olive oil over low heat.

Whisk in the flour and heat to a simmer. Continue simmering for 1 minute.

Pour in 1 cup of pan dripping from the skillet.

Whisk together and heat until gravy starts to thicken. Do not boil gravy or it will break/separate.

Pour into gravy boat and serve.

More delicious chicken skillet recipes:

Chicken au Champagne – one of the most popular recipes on Cooking with Curls!
Skillet Chicken Cacciatore
Lemon-Garlic Skillet Chicken
Skillet Chicken Potpie
Chicken Scaloppine

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Enjoy!!