Classic French Chicken in White Wine Sauce

Serves four.

To learn more, read:
The First Step to Great Flavor
by James Peterson
from Fine Cooking
Issue 31
Last Edit Date: 7/18/2011 4:39:05 PM

This is a variation on a chicken fricassée, using a classic French mirepoix to flavor the sauce. The addition of a little prosciutto or ham to the mirepoix gives the finished sauce a nice depth. If the ham you choose is particularly salty, season the chicken only very lightly with salt. Serve the chicken in wide soup bowls with egg noodles or rice, if you like, and the sauce spooned over all.

more about:

2 Tbs. butter
4-lb. chicken, cut into 6 pieces (or 3-1/2 to 4 lb. chicken pieces)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 medium carrot, finely chopped
1/2 rib celery, finely chopped
2 oz. prosciutto or country ham, finely chopped
3/4 cup dry white wine
3/4 cup homemade or low-salt canned chicken stock
3 Tbs. heavy cream (at room temperature)
Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and cook it in the skillet on the skin side to brown it and to render the fat from the skin, about 15 minutes. Turn the chicken over and cook on the bone side for about 5 minutes. Remove and reserve the chicken.

Pour off all but 2 Tbs. of the fat from the pan. Add the onion, carrot, celery, and prosciutto or ham and sauté until the onion is browned and the vegetables are softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the wine and chicken stock to the pan and stir to combine with vegetables. Put the chicken back into the pan. Bring the liquid to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover the skillet with a lid, and simmer the chicken in the sauce until cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes.

Remove the chicken from the pan, turn the heat to high and bring the liquid to a boil. Reduce the volume of liquid by half, about 5 minutes (or 6 to 7 minutes if you want a thicker sauce). Add the cream, stir to combine, and remove the pan from the heat. Transfer the chicken to wide soup plates; taste and season the sauce with salt and pepper if necessary and spoon it over the chicken. Sprinkle with the chopped parsley.

nutrition information (per serving):
Calories (kcal): 510; Fat (g): 29; Fat Calories (kcal): 260; Saturated Fat (g): 11; Protein (g): 51; Monounsaturated Fat (g): 10; Carbohydrates (g): 5; Polyunsaturated Fat (g): 5; Sodium (mg): 1310; Cholesterol (mg): 165; Fiber (g): 1;

Photo: Ben Fink

Rate this Recipe and View Reviews

user reviews
made it?
RATE IT!

by mom2pcs, 11/21/2012This was delicious. My 6 year old twins were thanking me for this as they ate (and 8 year old picky eater ate without complaint). Used 2 bone-in breasts, and kept all other ingredients the same. Not quite enough meat for the 5 of us, will use 3 large breasts next time. Sliced the meat off the bone and added to sauce rather than adding whole pieces. Mashed potatoes and French-style green beans for quick sides. Definitely a make-again, and definitely company-worthy. Final stage (braise) took about 10 minutes longer on my stove.

by JRod8181, 7/10/2012very good recipe. For a little healthier dish, I substituted extra virgin olive oil for the butter and ommitted the heavy cream, which is really nutrient deficient.

by nbraman15, 6/11/2012Great recipe!! My husband and I loved it.

by coyote36, 11/17/2011A terrific recipe! The sauce was incredible! Definitely will put this easy recipe on the rotation.

by swpotts, 11/16/2009Loved this. Because I was making this for company, I browned the chicken and the vegetables early in the day, storing the chicken separately in the fridge. While I was reducing the sauce I put the chicken under the broiler to crisp the skin up again - it was a little soggy after the simmering. I served the chicken in big bowls over mashed potatoes - a delicious way to sop up the sauce!

by aislinn, 10/7/2009I have rated other recipes 5 stars but this one is really 6 stars. Just a amazing, easy recipe. I double the miropiox because it slopped up by the rotini pasta. Get the extra large rotini to pair with this.

by MommyDot, 2/16/2009Agree with the other ratings. Very, very good dinner and simple.

by ICookForFour, 1/15/2009Excellent recipe. Delicious and uncomplicated. My family loves it. Personally, I make twice as much mirepoix and a little more sauce for the given amount of chicken. And for four adults, I needed more like 5.5 pounds of thighs with everything else adjusted proportionally.

by BoatCook, 11/16/2008

by cdlane25, 1/11/2008Great Meal!