French Chicken in a Pot (Poulet au Pot)
Sitting in a Michelin three-star restaurant on my first visit to Paris, France, I was awed by the presentation of the breaking of bread dough which sealed a copper pot brought tableside. I remember well the first whiff of aromatic steam escaping from that pot of simple chicken and vegetables. Only the French can make such a humble dish become a theatrical presentation! Not only that, but the flavors were so dramatically pronounced. I have since learned that this dish is a Sunday staple in many French homes in its many forms.
Rather than making your Dutch oven or cooking vessel a major cleaning chore with bread dough, use parchment paper and foil to seal in all the fantastic flavors. The vegetables used here can be changed to whatever type that you may enjoy. The only word of caution is to cut them in equal sizes for equal cooking. Change out the fresh herbs as you wish too. The chicken can be cut into portioned pieces before cooking to make serving easier. Finally, bring the whole pot to the table for best performance and listen for the oohs and awes, making your effort worthwhile!
4 servings
INGREDIENTS:
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided or more
12 small onions or shallots, peeled
4 carrots, peeled, quartered
1 small celeriac (celery root), peeled, cut into 12 equal pieces
½ savoy cabbage, cut into 4 wedges with core attached
Salt and fresh ground black pepper.
1 whole chicken, preferably free-range
1 head garlic, washed, cut in half horizontally
8 fingerling potatoes, scrubbed
½ cup dry white wine
2 cups chicken stock
6 sprigs fresh thyme
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
4 sprigs flat-leaf parsley
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Cut a piece of parchment paper and foil to fit the Dutch oven with one inch extra on all sides.
2. Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onions, carrots, and celeriac. Season with salt and pepper. Brown on all sides and remove to a plate. Brown, the cabbage on all sides, adding more olive oil if necessary. Remove to the plate with the vegetables. Salt and pepper the chicken. Add more olive oil to the pan and brown the chicken on all sides, finishing the breast side up. Deglaze the pan with the wine and chicken stock. Bring to a boil. Add the potatoes and browned vegetables around the sides of the chicken. Tuck thyme, rosemary, and parsley around the sides of the chicken. Tuck the parchment paper on top and into the sides of the pan, then foil over the top of the pan, followed by the lid sealing tightly. Place in the oven.
3. Braise until the chicken is thoroughly cooked (165°F at thickest part) and the vegetables are tender for about one hour. Remove from the oven and serve a portion of chicken and vegetables in four soup-plate bowls. Season the chicken broth if necessary and pour it over the chicken and vegetables. Serve hot.
French Chicken in a Pot (Poulet au Pot)
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided or more
- 12 small onions or shallots, peeled
- 4 carrots, peeled, quartered
- 1 small celeriac (celery root), peeled, cut into 12 equal pieces
- ½ savoy cabbage, cut into 4 wedges with core attached
- Salt and fresh ground black pepper.
- 1 whole chicken, preferably free-range
- 1 head garlic, washed, cut in half horizontally
- 8 fingerling potatoes, scrubbed
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 6 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 4 sprigs flat-leaf parsley
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Cut a piece of parchment paper and foil to fit the Dutch oven with one inch extra on all sides.
- Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onions, carrots, and celeriac. Season with salt and pepper. Brown on all sides and remove to a plate. Brown, the cabbage on all sides, adding more olive oil if necessary. Remove to the plate with the vegetables. Salt and pepper the chicken. Add more olive oil to the pan and brown the chicken on all sides, finishing the breast side up. Deglaze the pan with the wine and chicken stock. Bring to a boil. Add the potatoes and browned vegetables around the sides of the chicken. Tuck thyme, rosemary, and parsley around the sides of the chicken. Tuck the parchment paper on top and into the sides of the pan, then foil over the top of the pan, followed by the lid sealing tightly. Place in the oven.
- Braise until the chicken is thoroughly cooked (165°F at thickest part) and the vegetables are tender for about one hour. Remove from the oven and serve a portion of chicken and vegetables in four soup-plate bowls. Season the chicken broth if necessary and pour it over the chicken and vegetables. Serve hot.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
659.65Fat (grams)
35.64Sat. Fat (grams)
7.99Carbs (grams)
34.61Fiber (grams)
4.78Net carbs
30.11Sugar (grams)
5.46Protein (grams)
47.32Sodium (milligrams)
502.84Cholesterol (grams)
135.16The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist's advice.