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Chicken in the Pot with Carrots, Mushrooms, and Thyme

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on August 22, 2007

Time

1¼ hours

Yield

Serves 4

Chicken in the Pot with Carrots, Mushrooms, and Thyme

Ingredients

1 whole chicken, 3 to 4 pounds, rinsed, patted dry, and cut into 8 pieces½ teaspoon table salt ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper 1 tablespoon unsalted butter 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 large onion, sliced4 medium carrots, halved crosswise, then halved or quartered lengthwise depending on thickness8 ounces white mushrooms, brushed clean and halved if large3 sprigs fresh thyme (1 ½ teaspoons fresh leaves) or ½ teaspoon dried thyme½ cup dry white wine

Before You Begin

When making this dish, be sure to place the vegetables on top of the chicken after sautéing; that way, they won't be crushed by the meat and will render their juices to the chicken. If you like, you can substitute two medium leeks for the onion in this recipe. To prepare leeks, trim the dark green leaves and root end, keeping the base intact. Quarter each leek lengthwise and rinse thoroughly. Rice pilaf makes a nice accompaniment. You can make this dish in a smaller sauté pan, but you will then need to brown the chicken in batches.

Instructions

  1. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Heat butter and oil in 12-inch sauté pan over medium-high heat. When butter foaming subsides, add chicken; sauté until browned on both sides, moving around to brown evenly, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.
  2. Discard all but thin film of fat from pan. Add onion, carrots, and mushrooms; sauté, stirring frequently to prevent scorching, until pan juices evaporate, 4 to 5 minutes.
  3. Return chicken and accumulated juices to pan, moving vegetables to top. Add thyme sprigs and wine; bring to boil. Lower heat, cover, and barely simmer until chicken is cooked through, basting three or four times, about 25 minutes. Place portion of chicken on each plate; top with vegetables. Ladle juices over both chicken and vegetables and serve immediately.
Chicken in the Pot with Carrots, Mushrooms, and Thyme

Chicken in the Pot with Carrots, Mushrooms, and Thyme

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By America's Test Kitchen
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Time

1¼ hours

Yield

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 whole chicken, 3 to 4 pounds, rinsed, patted dry, and cut into 8 pieces
½ teaspoon table salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large onion, sliced
4 medium carrots, halved crosswise, then halved or quartered lengthwise depending on thickness
8 ounces white mushrooms, brushed clean and halved if large
3 sprigs fresh thyme (1 ½ teaspoons fresh leaves) or ½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ cup dry white wine

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

1 whole chicken, 3 to 4 pounds, rinsed, patted dry, and cut into 8 pieces
½ teaspoon table salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large onion, sliced
4 medium carrots, halved crosswise, then halved or quartered lengthwise depending on thickness
8 ounces white mushrooms, brushed clean and halved if large
3 sprigs fresh thyme (1 ½ teaspoons fresh leaves) or ½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ cup dry white wine

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

1 whole chicken, 3 to 4 pounds, rinsed, patted dry, and cut into 8 pieces
½ teaspoon table salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large onion, sliced
4 medium carrots, halved crosswise, then halved or quartered lengthwise depending on thickness
8 ounces white mushrooms, brushed clean and halved if large
3 sprigs fresh thyme (1 ½ teaspoons fresh leaves) or ½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ cup dry white wine

Test Kitchen Techniques

Why This Recipe Works

For a versatile, nearly effortless chicken in the pot recipe, we started with a whole chicken, about 3 1/2 pounds, cut into smaller pieces. We cooked the chicken in a large, heavy skillet, browning it first in a combination of oil and butter. We sautéed the vegetables in the same skillet, then arranged them on top of the chicken so the vegetables didn’t get crushed. We cooked the combination in a small amount of liquid (stock or wine) over medium heat, basting throughout the cooking time. Pairing the chicken with delicate seasonings and vegetables, we created endless variations on this basic chicken in the pot recipe.

Before You Begin

When making this dish, be sure to place the vegetables on top of the chicken after sautéing; that way, they won't be crushed by the meat and will render their juices to the chicken. If you like, you can substitute two medium leeks for the onion in this recipe. To prepare leeks, trim the dark green leaves and root end, keeping the base intact. Quarter each leek lengthwise and rinse thoroughly. Rice pilaf makes a nice accompaniment. You can make this dish in a smaller sauté pan, but you will then need to brown the chicken in batches.

Instructions

  1. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Heat butter and oil in 12-inch sauté pan over medium-high heat. When butter foaming subsides, add chicken; sauté until browned on both sides, moving around to brown evenly, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.
  2. Discard all but thin film of fat from pan. Add onion, carrots, and mushrooms; sauté, stirring frequently to prevent scorching, until pan juices evaporate, 4 to 5 minutes.
  3. Return chicken and accumulated juices to pan, moving vegetables to top. Add thyme sprigs and wine; bring to boil. Lower heat, cover, and barely simmer until chicken is cooked through, basting three or four times, about 25 minutes. Place portion of chicken on each plate; top with vegetables. Ladle juices over both chicken and vegetables and serve immediately.

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