Chicken Cacciatore with White Wine and Tarragon
By America's Test KitchenPublished on October 5, 2011
Time
1¾ hours
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
8 bone in chicken thighs (about 3 pounds), trimmed of excess fatSalt and ground black pepper 1 teaspoon olive oil 3 large shallots, minced10 ounces white mushrooms, cleaned and quartered if large, halved if medium, and left whole if small4 medium cloves garlic, minced1 ½ tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour 1 ½ cups dry white wine ½ cup chicken stock or low-sodium canned chicken broth1 can diced tomatoes (15 ounces), drained2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves 1 piece Parmesan cheese rind (2 inches, about 1 ounce), optional2 teaspoons minced fresh tarragon leaves
Before You Begin
If your Dutch oven is large enough to hold all the chicken pieces in a single layer without crowding, brown all the pieces at once instead of in batches. The Parmesan cheese rind is optional, but we highly recommend it for the robust, savory flavor it adds to the dish. This variation is based on chicken chasseur, the French version of Italian cacciatore.
Instructions
- Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking, about 2 minutes. Add four chicken thighs, skin-side down, and cook, not moving them until skin is crisp and well browned, about 5 minutes; using tongs, flip chicken and brown on second side, about 5 minutes longer. Transfer browned chicken to large plate; brown remaining chicken thighs, transfer to plate, and set aside.
- Drain off all but 1 tablespoon fat from pot. Add shallots, mushrooms, and 1/2 teaspoon salt; sauté over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until moisture evaporates and vegetables begin to brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Meanwhile, remove and discard skin from browned chicken thighs. Add garlic to pot and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in flour and cook, stirring constantly, about 1 minute. Add wine, scraping pot bottom with wooden spoon to loosen brown bits. Stir in stock, tomatoes, thyme, cheese rind (if using), 1/2 teaspoon salt (omit salt if using cheese rind), and pepper to taste. Submerge chicken pieces in liquid and bring to boil; cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until chicken is tender and cooked through, about 45 minutes, turning chicken pieces with tongs halfway through cooking. Discard cheese rind, stir in tarragon, adjust seasonings with salt and pepper, and serve.
Time
1¾ hoursYield
Serves 4Ingredients
8 bone in chicken thighs (about 3 pounds), trimmed of excess fat
Salt and ground black pepper
1 teaspoon olive oil
3 large shallots, minced
10 ounces white mushrooms, cleaned and quartered if large, halved if medium, and left whole if small
4 medium cloves garlic, minced
1 ½ tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
1 ½ cups dry white wine
½ cup chicken stock or low-sodium canned chicken broth
1 can diced tomatoes (15 ounces), drained
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves
1 piece Parmesan cheese rind (2 inches, about 1 ounce), optional
2 teaspoons minced fresh tarragon leaves
Ingredients
8 bone in chicken thighs (about 3 pounds), trimmed of excess fat
Salt and ground black pepper
1 teaspoon olive oil
3 large shallots, minced
10 ounces white mushrooms, cleaned and quartered if large, halved if medium, and left whole if small
4 medium cloves garlic, minced
1 ½ tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
1 ½ cups dry white wine
½ cup chicken stock or low-sodium canned chicken broth
1 can diced tomatoes (15 ounces), drained
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves
1 piece Parmesan cheese rind (2 inches, about 1 ounce), optional
2 teaspoons minced fresh tarragon leaves
Ingredients
8 bone in chicken thighs (about 3 pounds), trimmed of excess fat
Salt and ground black pepper
1 teaspoon olive oil
3 large shallots, minced
10 ounces white mushrooms, cleaned and quartered if large, halved if medium, and left whole if small
4 medium cloves garlic, minced
1 ½ tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
1 ½ cups dry white wine
½ cup chicken stock or low-sodium canned chicken broth
1 can diced tomatoes (15 ounces), drained
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves
1 piece Parmesan cheese rind (2 inches, about 1 ounce), optional
2 teaspoons minced fresh tarragon leaves
Why This Recipe Works
Using chicken thighs and removing the skin after a quick rendering solved the problems of soggy skin and greasy sauce in our chicken cacciatore recipe. Cooking the chicken in a combination of white wine and chicken broth, adding earthy mushrooms and a Parmesan cheese rind, and finishing with fresh tarragon gave us the lavish, substantial cacciatore recipe we desired.
Before You Begin
If your Dutch oven is large enough to hold all the chicken pieces in a single layer without crowding, brown all the pieces at once instead of in batches. The Parmesan cheese rind is optional, but we highly recommend it for the robust, savory flavor it adds to the dish. This variation is based on chicken chasseur, the French version of Italian cacciatore.
Instructions
- Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking, about 2 minutes. Add four chicken thighs, skin-side down, and cook, not moving them until skin is crisp and well browned, about 5 minutes; using tongs, flip chicken and brown on second side, about 5 minutes longer. Transfer browned chicken to large plate; brown remaining chicken thighs, transfer to plate, and set aside.
- Drain off all but 1 tablespoon fat from pot. Add shallots, mushrooms, and 1/2 teaspoon salt; sauté over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until moisture evaporates and vegetables begin to brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Meanwhile, remove and discard skin from browned chicken thighs. Add garlic to pot and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in flour and cook, stirring constantly, about 1 minute. Add wine, scraping pot bottom with wooden spoon to loosen brown bits. Stir in stock, tomatoes, thyme, cheese rind (if using), 1/2 teaspoon salt (omit salt if using cheese rind), and pepper to taste. Submerge chicken pieces in liquid and bring to boil; cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until chicken is tender and cooked through, about 45 minutes, turning chicken pieces with tongs halfway through cooking. Discard cheese rind, stir in tarragon, adjust seasonings with salt and pepper, and serve.
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