Recipe Background
French Chicken is a comforting Parisian favorite with bacon, cream, and white wine.
The first meal I ever prepared for my parents after moving into my own little Paris apartment was French Chicken. I remember traipsing through the local market, the gentle clatter of vendors and the luring scent of fresh produce guiding my way. The chicken thighs were golden and promising, waiting to be transformed into a comforting dish. As I stood in my cozy kitchen, I realized it was the bacon—something I always had on hand to transform any ordinary menu into a satisfying meal—that would bring everything together with its crisp texture and smoky undertone.
There was something elegantly nostalgic about cooking with white wine. The steam carried memories of those warm Sunday lunches back home, yet the addition of heavy cream added just the right touch of decadence, a nod to my newfound freedom in the city of lights. Some onions and a few cloves of garlic were all it took to create a hearty base, while a simple sprinkle of salt and pepper coaxed every nuance of flavor from the chicken as it slowly simmered. A chef's secret: deglazing the pan not only enriches the flavor but also invites all those caramelized bits back into the dish, weaving a tapestry of taste.
Each bite was like a warm embrace, comforting yet sophisticated. My parents were impressed, particularly with the depth of flavor the layered cooking process offered. There's a satisfying elegance in serving this dish with fresh French bread to mop up the luscious sauce, making each morsel truly worthwhile. That day marked the beginning of numerous family gatherings in my little Paris kitchen, and this dish became our cherished tradition.
Ingredients
- 6 chicken thighs bone-in and skin-on, can use a combination of thighs and legs
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 2 strips bacon roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 onion diced
- 4 cloves garlic sliced
- 1/2 (750-milliliter) bottle white wine divided
- 1 carrot sliced
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- parsley optional, to taste, chopped, for garnish
- French bread optional, to taste, sliced, for serving
Directions
- Using paper towels, pat the chicken thighs dry.
- Season the chicken thighs on all sides with the salt and the black pepper.
- In a cast-iron skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat, add the bacon and cook, while stirring, until the bacon is crisp, about 7-10 minutes.
- Transfer the bacon from the skillet to paper towels using a slotted spoon.
- Add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil to the bacon drippings over medium heat and allow it to heat.
- Add the chicken thighs to the hot oil-drippings mixture, skin-side down, and cook, turning them once, until the thighs are browned and crisp, about 4-5 minutes per side.
- Transfer the chicken thighs to a plate.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low.
- Add the remaining olive oil and the onions to the skillet and cook, while stirring frequently, until the onions are translucent and softened, about 4-5 minutes.
- Add the garlic slices to the hot oil and cook, while stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add 1-2 tablespoons of the white wine to the skillet and deglaze the pan by scraping the bottom with a wooden spoon to release the brown bits.
- Add the chicken thighs, the carrots, and the remaining wine to the skillet, ensuring the wine comes up to the tops of the chicken thighs, but that they are not fully submerged. You may not need all of the remaining wine.
- Cover the skillet with a lid and allow the chicken mixture to simmer for 35 minutes.
- Add the heavy cream to the chicken mixture and stir to combine.
- Season the chicken mixture with the salt and the pepper and stir to combine.
- Increase the heat to medium-high.
- Simmer the chicken mixture, while spooning the sauce over the chicken, until the chicken thighs reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 10 minutes.
- Taste for seasoning and add the salt and the pepper, as needed.
- Garnish with the parsley and serve with the French bread slices.
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