French Chicken and Vegetables Recipe

"This is the perfect Sunday dinner. I am sure you could make this in the crock pot, but I have found that a good heavy dutch oven works best for this dish. It's really a chicken stew; but, it's just a bit different. Serve with mashed potatoes for a great dinner. I actually prefer bone in/skin on; but, it seems that most prefer boneless skinless these days, so I have based the recipe on that. You can always use whatever cuts you prefer."

Step by Step Method

Step 1

Chicken ... Allow the chicken to come to room temperature (take the chill off) - you DO NOT want to cook cold chicken. Season liberally on all sides with salt and pepper.

Step 2

I prefer to use my deep cast iron pot for this, but a large dutch oven; or any deep heavy pot will work. Bring the pan up to medium high heat and add the butter and oil. Then, add in the chicken, and sear on each side until you get a nice crust and the chicken is golden brown. Remove to a plate while you saute the vegetables. NO need to cover, it will be going back in the pot to finish cooking.

Step 3

Vegetables ... In the same pan, add the remaining butter and oil and reduce to medium heat. Add the the celery, mushrooms, carrots, and green beans, mix well to coat; then, cook 3-4 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften. Then, deglaze the pan with the brandy (making sure to remove the pan from the heat when you do this), also making sure to scrape up any bits off the bottom. Then add the flour and mix to combine with the vegetables. Cook just a minute, then add the wine, chicken broth, a pinch of both salt and pepper, bay leaf, thyme, and tarragon. Cook another 5 minutes until the broth is heated through.

Step 4

Chicken and Sauce ... Return the chicken to the pot, along with the peas, onions, pimentos; and check for seasoning once again (salt and pepper). Bring to a light boil, then reduce to a simmer (medium low heat). Add the heavy cream and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the chicken is tender, and the sauce reduces and thickens. Now, if you prefer your sauce a bit thinner, simply add a bit more chicken broth.

Step 5

Serve ... Remember, this is a stew, so you should have a nice sauce with this. I like to serve this with crusty bread to sop up all the sauce. For me ... a salad is all you need on the side ENJOY!