French Chicken Stew Recipes

FRENCH STEWED CHICKEN THIGHS

Steps:

• Put the flour in a shallow dish and season with the thyme, salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken in the flour, shaking off the excess. Heat the EVOO in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned and crisp on both sides. Remove to a plate. Melt the butter in the pot over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and cook until lightly browned. Add the shallots, carrots and sugar, and season with salt and pepper. Cook for a couple of minutes to soften. Deglaze with the wine, stirring and scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. Stir in the tarragon, olives and tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Return the chicken to the pot and cook, partially covered, for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Slice the baguette on an angle and toast in the oven. Divide the chicken and sauce among plates and serve with the baguette. Cook's Note: The stewed chicken can be covered and refrigerated for a make-ahead meal. Reheat over medium heat.

CHICKEN FRICASSEE (FRICASSEE DE POULET A L'ANCIENNE)

Steps:

• Brown ChickenSeason chicken on both sides with 1 tablespoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Preheat a Dutch oven or other large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons butter and the oil to pot. When butter melts and foam subsides, add half the chicken, skin side down, in a single layer; do not crowd pot. (If butter begins to blacken, lower heat.) Fry chicken, turning once, until golden brown on both sides, about 10 minutes total, and transfer to a plate. Repeat with remaining chicken.
• Saute MirepoixReduce heat to medium, and add mirepoix (onion, carrot, and celery) to pot, scraping up any browned bits with a wooden spoon. Saute mirepoix, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden brown in places, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Cook Mushrooms and FlourAdd mushrooms, and cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms darken, become glossy, and begin to release liquid, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in flour, and cook until flour is absorbed by vegetables and is no longer visible, about 1 minute.
• Pour in Wine and BrothAdd wine to pot, and bring to a boil, stirring until liquid just thickens, about 45 seconds. Add broth, and stir.
• Simmer ChickenPlace chicken, skin side up, in a single layer on vegetables; pour juices that have accumulated on plate into pot. Tie parsley sprigs, thyme sprigs, and bay leaf together with kitchen twine; add to pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover partially. Cook until internal temperature of thickest part of chicken registers 165 degrees, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer chicken to a clean plate. Simmer liquid, uncovered, until reduced slightly, about 5 minutes. Discard herbs.
• Make and Add LiaisonTo make the liaison (sauce thickener), whisk together egg yolks and cream in a medium bowl. Whisking constantly, pour 1/2 cup cooking liquid, 1 tablespoon at a time, into liaison to temper it. Stir tempered liaison into pot.
• Finish with Tarragon, Lemon, and ButterReturn chicken to pot. Add tarragon, lemon juice, and the remaining butter. Bring to a simmer, stir gently to combine, and serve.

FRENCH CHICKEN STEW

Steps:

• In a 5 to 6- quart slow cooker combine mushrooms, undrained tomatoes, carrots, onion, potato, green beans, olives, broth, wine, tapioca, herbes de Provence, thyme and pepper. Place chicken on top; sprinkle with seasoned salt. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 6-7 hours or on high-heat setting for 3-4 hours.
• Stir in pasta sauce. If desired, serve with French bread.

PROVENçAL CHICKEN STEW

Steps:

• Combine the 3/4 cup flour and the salt in a resealable plastic bag. Add the chicken to the bag, several pieces at a time, and shake to coat completely.
• Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat and add the oil. Add the chicken and cook, turning once, for 8 to 10 minutes, until browned on both sides. Using tongs, transfer to paper towels to drain, then arrange in the slow cooker.
• Set the sauté pan over medium-high heat and add the onion and the 2 tablespoons flour. Sauté, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. Add the garlic and stir for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the wine and stir to scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Increase the heat to high and add the tomatoes and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring frequently, for 10 to 15 minutes, until some of the tomato liquid evaporates.
• Pour the onion mixture over the chicken in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 3 to 8 hours, until the chicken is tender. At 3 to 4 hours, the chicken will still be firm and hold its shape. At 6 to 8 hours, the meat will be falling off the bone.
• Divide the chicken among dinner plates and garnish with the parsley, basil, and olives. Serve immediately.

FRENCH COUNTRY CHICKEN STEW

Steps:

• Prepare the chicken but don't skin.
• Salt the pieces and dredge them lightly in the flour, brushing off and saving the excess.
• Trim off and discard the bacon rind.
• Slice the bacon across the width into 1/4 pieces Heat the oil in a large kettle and brown the bacon lightly.
• Remove and set aside.
• Brown the chicken pices in batches, removing them as they finish browning.
• Remove and discard all but 3 Tbs of the fat.
• Add the onion, pepper, tarragon, and the remaining flour.
• Scrape these back and forth in the hot fat until the onion is transparent.
• Add the tomatoes and their juice and continue the scraping action until most of the juice has evaporated.
• Add 1 1/2 cups of water, the wine, and the crumbled bouillon cube.
• Add the bacon, chicken, peas, and carrots.
• Cover and simmer gently for 30 minutes Scrub the new potatoes under cold water and pare off a one inch strip around the middle of each one, leaving the peel on the ends.
• Add them to the stew and simmer for 20 minutes.
• Stir in the parsley.
• Salt to taste, and serve hot.

FRENCH CHICKEN STEW

Steps:

• Place chicken in a large saucepan, cover with chicken broth. Bring to a boil over high heat, cover, reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes or until done. Remove chicken, strain broth and set aside for later use. Heat olive oil in a large dutch oven over medium-high heat until hot, Add onions and garlic; saute until onion is tender. Shred chicken into bite-sized pieces. Add chicken, tomato, broth, wine, and bay leaves to onion mixture, stirring well to combine. Add thyme, fennel seeds, salt, saffron, and red pepper, stirring well. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 45 minutes. Stir in sliced potatoes. Cover and cook a additional 15 minutes, or until potatoes are tender but not mushy. Ladle into individual bowls and garnish with freshly ground pepper, if desired.