This recipe is a great way to make a whole chicken extra special. I appreciate this lighter version which uses white wine against the traditional red wine. This is indeed a recipe that requires patience and attention, but the result is worth it! I strongly suggest you include the marinade step, which tenderizes the chicken and gives it a wonderful taste. Serve with mashed potatoes and a garnish of flat-leaf parsley.
6 servings
Ingredients :
Marinade :
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500 ml white wine (a good Riesling - save the rest to drink while eating ;))
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1 small onion, cut in large chunks
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1 sprig of rosemary
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3-4 sprigs of thyme
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2 sprigs of oregano
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3 lemon zest
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1 tbsp kosher salt
Cooking :
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1 large chicken (about 2 lbs), cut into 10 pieces (including the wings)
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2 tbsp. olive oil
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100g pancetta, cut into small squares
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2 yellow onions, cut in half then in large strips
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3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
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3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
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1 cup chicken broth
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1 bouquet garni (3 sprigs of thyme, 1 fresh oregano, 1 bay leaf)
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¼ cup white vermouth (I use the Rouge Gorge brand)
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1 box of cremini mushrooms, washed and halved
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2 tbsp. tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
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2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
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3 tbsp. kosher salt
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2 tbsp. pepper
To serve :
Mashed potatoes
Parsley crumble :
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3 tbsp. flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
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1 tsp Alcyon salt
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Pepper flakes, to taste
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Zest of a lemon
Steps :
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Ideally the day before, cut your chicken into 10 pieces (or ask your butcher to do so) and place in a large bowl. Add the wine, the onion cut in 4, the fine herbs, the salt and the lemon zest. Reserve in the fridge for a minimum of 6 hours or overnight.
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Preheat the oven to 250F and remove the chicken from the fridge.
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Heat a dutch oven over medium heat. Add 2 tbsp of olive oil and the pancetta. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. The pancetta should be crispy. Set aside.
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Pat the chicken pieces dry on a paper towel and fry in the still hot pot. Do not overcrowd the pan, you want a nice caramelization, so the pieces must be well spaced! Cook for about 2 minutes on each side over medium heat. Set aside on a plate.
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Deglaze the pan with the vermouth - let reduce for 30 seconds while scraping the bottom with a wooden spoon.
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Add onion and carrots, sauté 1 to 2 minutes. Add the garlic and the bouquet garni - cook for another minute. Season with salt and pepper.
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Strain the chicken marinade through a fine mesh strainer and add to the pot. Also add the chicken broth (mine was homemade, I'll show you in another recipe soon ;))
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Return the chicken and pancetta to the pot and season the chicken pieces well with 1 tbsp. kosher salt and pepper to taste. Gently mix everything with a wooden spoon.
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Bake in the oven for 45 minutes, with the lid on.
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Bake for 45 minutes once more, this time with the lid removed.
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In a large skillet, cook the mushrooms with butter and olive oil. They should be well slightly crispy and cooked through - this should take 7 minutes. Set aside.
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Remove the chicken pieces from the pot. Put the dutch oven back on the heat and bring the sauce to a boil. Let reduce for 10 minutes.
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Mix the butter with the flour in a small bowl. Add the mixture to the pot and stir well. Cook for 2 minutes until the sauce thickens.
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Return the chicken pieces and mushrooms to the pot. Reheat for 5 minutes on low heat.
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Meanwhile, assemble the parsley topping by mixing the chopped flat-leaf parsley, lemon zest, chili flakes and sea salt in a small bowl.
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Serve with mashed potatoes at the bottom of the plate, 2 pieces of chicken and sprinkle with parsley mixture. SO good and comforting.