As has happened previously, this is not the diary I had originally planned, life having interfered with my plans once again. BUT it gave me the chance to post a recipe for this classically sumptuous one-dish meal with roots in rural France. It is easy to make and delicious, especially when served with a warm loaf of pain de campagne (literally “country bread”, aka “French sourdough”), or just regular French bread.
Chicken jardinière basically translates to “gardener’s chicken”, and a quick perusal of the ingredients demonstrates why. Garden vegetables and herbs, with pieces of chicken (which are easy to raise; I’ve done it, but only for the eggs), and enough wine and broth to make a stew (though not a thick one). As the late Matthew Perry might have said on Friends, “Could this BE any more French?”
Prep time: 20-25 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour
CHICKEN JARDINIÈRE
4 each chicken thighs and drumsticks
1 T olive or peanut oil
4 ounces pancetta (or lardon)
Sea salt/pepper
1 1/2 T flour
10-12 fingerling or small red potatoes, peeled
12 mushrooms (de-stem if desired)
10-12 boiling onions, peeled
3 cloves of garlic, minced
3 carrots, sectioned and quartered
Bouquet garni (or 1 t various dried herbs)
3/4 c white wine
1/2 c chicken broth or water
1 c peas (fresh is best)
Heat oil in a cast-iron pot or pan; add pancetta and cook until fat dissolves; add chicken pieces; season with salt and pepper and brown lightly, 3-4 minutes each side; sprinkle with flour; add remaining ingredients except peas; bring to a boil, then simmer about 45 minutes; stir in peas to warm; remove bouquet garni before serving.
A few notes: I generally prefer sliced pancetta, which takes longer to prep, but all I’ve been able to find lately are the little cubes, which work just fine. As the noted in the caption above, I only made a half batch, so 4 thighs was enough for dinner and leftovers. Despite what Jacques says in the video below, I never peel fingerlings; I just wash them (#ghostislazy). Any dry white wine will do—or sweet if you prefer a different taste. I prefer French wines in general; this time, I used a white Bordeaux (both for cooking and for drinking), specifically a Sauvignon de Seguin, available at Trader Joe’s for less than $10.
Here is the master, Jacque Pépin himself, making the recipe I have summarized above (of course, there are different versions). Jacques has a couple of classic lines in this short video:
“It’s good to follow the recipe once, so that you know what it tastes like. And after that, you should make it your own.”
[after covering to simmer] “And now we can have a glass of wine.”
Bon apétit à tous!