Description
JB’s Chicken Chasseur is a classic French-inspired dish featuring succulent chicken thighs and drumsticks simmered in a rich, flavorful sauce made with mushrooms, onions, brandy, white wine, tomato paste, and beef stock. The sauce is finished with cold butter and fresh tarragon for a silky texture and aromatic depth, perfect served alongside creamy mashed potatoes.
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)
Sauté and Sauce
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil (or any other neutral flavoured oil)
- 30g / 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 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: Pat the chicken dry thoroughly with paper towels to remove moisture for proper browning. Season all sides with salt and pepper, then coat in flour, shaking off excess, to help develop a golden crust and thicken the sauce later.
- Brown the chicken: Heat vegetable oil in a large 30cm (12″) skillet over medium-high heat. Add butter, and once melted and foaming, place 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 to a plate. Add drumsticks and brown on 3 sides, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to plate with thighs. Be cautious as skin-on chicken can splatter hot oil.
- Sauté mushrooms and onions: In the same pan, increase heat to high. Add mushrooms and onions and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms soften and start to wilt.
- Add garlic: Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Deglaze with brandy and wine: Pour in brandy and carefully flambé if desired, allowing flame to burn out (~10 seconds) to intensify aroma. Alternatively, let it bubble 20–30 seconds to burn off alcohol. Add white wine and simmer rapidly to reduce by half while scraping fond from the pan with a wooden spoon to build flavor.
- Add tomato paste and stock: Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Add beef stock, salt, and pepper, stirring to combine.
- Simmer chicken: Return chicken to the pan, skin-side up, nestling into the sauce. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium so the sauce bubbles gently. Cover with a lid and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Reduce sauce uncovered: Remove lid and continue simmering uncovered for 20 minutes to thicken and concentrate flavors while chicken finishes cooking.
- Remove chicken and reduce sauce: Transfer chicken to a plate. Increase heat to medium-high and simmer sauce for 3 minutes to reduce slightly.
- Finish sauce with butter: Turn off heat. Add half of the cold butter cubes and stir until melted. Add the remaining cold butter cubes and stir again until fully incorporated, emulsifying the sauce to a silky, glossy finish (monter au beurre).
- Serve: Gently reheat the sauce if needed, return chicken to the pan, sprinkle with fresh tarragon, and serve immediately with creamy mashed potatoes.
Notes
- Note 1: Chicken pieces should be bone-in and skin-on for best flavor and texture.
- Note 2: Use good-quality brandy for authentic flavor; flambé carefully if attempting to ignite alcohol.
- Note 3: Chardonnay or any dry white wine works well; avoid sweet wines.
- Note 4: Use low-sodium beef stock to control salt levels.
- Note 5: Fresh tarragon adds a characteristic herbal aroma; dry tarragon is not recommended.
- Note 6: The use of cold butter cubes to finish the sauce is a classical French technique to enrich and smooth the sauce.
