. . due to a lapse in preperation, was to pour it over the chicken in the hot pan and light it off there. Modest foomf for about 1-1/2 seconds. Doubt it would be any worse poured from a pan. The biggest problem is getting it to burn at all - it has to be quite hot.

In my childhood we used to pour pure alcohol onto a plate and set it on fire to singe the pin feathers off of plucked chickens. Even pure alcohol burns in an orderly manner with a rather cool flame.

. . it isn't going to make a huge difference. Omitting the brandy you might use dry sherry instead of the white wine, but that's the only change I'd suggest.

I went with the brandy out of tradition, as in Dione Lucas' recipe, but went with the white wine most others use instead of her dry sherry (because I have lots of white wine and not a lot of dry sherry). She used 1/4 cup but without the brandy I'd go for 1/2 cup. Most recipes today don't use the brandy.