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–+ servings

French Chicken

Time :1 hour
Yield :6 servings
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The Scoop

This is true comfort food with a tiny bit of Parisian attitude.
This is true comfort food with a tiny bit of Parisian attitude.
All the other weeknight dinners might feel slightly unfair after tasting this, but it’s so worth it, after all.  The sauce alone is ultra dippable and worth saving for your future bread-dipping moments ... the ones that you won’t want to admit.  
Hack it:
Add some celery for a very oh-la-la moment.
Use orange wine for a flirtier version of the recipe.
Add a tiny pinch of sugar to balance the flavors in case the wine feels too dry.
Leftovers:
Reheat gently on the stove to keep the sauce smooth and creamy.
Shred any leftover chicken into a pasta or rice bowl for a second (or even third) meal.
Add tomato sauce and turn this into a lovely and warming soup the next day.

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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