Description
JB’s Chicken Chasseur is a classic French-inspired dish featuring succulent bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks cooked in a rich, flavorful mushroom and tomato-based sauce enhanced with brandy, white wine, and fresh tarragon. This comforting and elegant skillet dish is perfect served with creamy mashed potatoes to soak up the luscious sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 4 chicken thighs, bone-in, skin on (~250g/8oz each)
- 4 chicken drumsticks
- 3/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 3 tbsp plain flour (all-purpose flour)
Cooking
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil (or any other neutral flavored oil)
- 30g / 2 tbsp unsalted butter
Sauce
- 400g / 14oz white mushrooms, sliced 6mm (0.2”)
- 2 onions, brown or yellow, halved then sliced 6mm (0.2”) thick
- 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1/4 cup brandy
- 1/2 cup chardonnay or other dry white wine
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 1/2 cups beef stock, low-sodium
- 3/4 tsp cooking salt/kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 30g / 2 tbsp unsalted butter, COLD and cubed (keep refrigerated until required)
- 1 tbsp fresh tarragon, finely chopped
To Serve
- Creamy mashed potato (or rice or small pasta)
Instructions
- Season the Chicken: Thoroughly pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towels to remove moisture, which helps achieve crispy skin and prevents splatter. Season all sides evenly with salt and pepper. Coat the chicken pieces in flour, shaking off any excess to develop a golden crust and to help thicken the sauce later.
- Brown the Chicken: Heat vegetable oil in a large 30cm (12″) skillet with a lid over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons butter, and once melted and foaming, add the chicken thighs skin-side down. Sear for 5 minutes until golden and crispy, then flip and cook the other side for 1 minute. Remove thighs and set aside. Brown the drumsticks on three sides, approximately 2 minutes per side, ensuring good color and flavor development. Transfer drumsticks to the plate with the thighs. Be cautious of hot oil splatter when searing skin-on chicken.
- Cook Mushrooms and Onions: Increase the heat to high in the same pan. Add sliced mushrooms and onions, stirring occasionally, and cook for about 5 minutes until the mushrooms begin to wilt and the onions soften.
- Add Garlic: Stir in the minced garlic and cook briefly for about 30 seconds until fragrant, being careful not to burn it.
- Deglaze with Brandy and Wine: Pour in the brandy and carefully flambé if desired, allowing the flame to burn off for about 10 seconds; this intensifies aroma and flavor. Alternatively, let it simmer for 20-30 seconds to burn off alcohol without igniting. Add the white wine and simmer rapidly until the liquid reduces by half, using a wooden spoon to scrape up all the flavorful browned bits (fond) from the bottom of the pan.
- Add Tomato Paste and Stock: Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute to develop its flavor. Add the beef stock along with salt and pepper, stirring to combine.
- Simmer the Chicken: Return the browned chicken pieces to the pan, placing them skin-side up, nestling them into the sauce. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium to maintain a gentle bubbling. Cover with the lid and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Finish Cooking Uncovered: Remove the lid and continue simmering uncovered for an additional 20 minutes. This step reduces the sauce and tenderizes the chicken further.
- Reduce Sauce Slightly: Transfer the cooked chicken to a plate. Increase heat to medium-high and simmer the sauce for 3 minutes to thicken slightly.
- Emulsify the Sauce: Turn off the heat. Add half of the cold, cubed butter to the sauce and stir until melted, then add the remaining butter cubes and continue stirring until fully incorporated. This classical monter au beurre technique creates a silky, glossy sauce.
- Serve: Gently return the chicken to the sauce and sprinkle with fresh chopped tarragon. Bring to a gentle simmer and serve directly from the pan alongside creamy mashed potatoes or your choice of rice or small pasta.
Notes
- Note 1: Using bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and drumsticks ensures juicy, flavorful meat with crispy skin.
- Note 2: Flambéing with brandy is optional but adds dramatic aroma and intensifies flavor.
- Note 3: Use a dry white wine like Chardonnay to balance the richness and add acidity.
- Note 4: Low-sodium beef stock is recommended to control the salt level of the dish.
- Note 5: Fresh tarragon adds a subtle anise-like herbaceous note complementing the sauce.
- Note 6: Adding cold butter gradually off heat creates a smooth, glossy sauce with enhanced mouthfeel.
