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Chicken in Vinegar

Laura Calder’s tangier version of the classic dish – sautéed chicken in wine – from Burgundy. You’ll master the technique of deglazing with vinegar to create a rich, concentrated sauce while the chicken braises until tender.

Serves 1 | Active Time: 50 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Chef's Notes

This recipe is from “French Food at Home”, which is Laura Calder’s most recent cookbook.

Step 1: Preparing Your Mise en Place
  • 1 head garlic
  • 1 lb tomatoes (500 g)
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 cup red wine vinegar (250 ml)
  • 1 cup chicken stock (250 ml)
  • 1 bay leaf
  • few sprigs of thyme

To prepare your mise en place, first break up the garlic into unpeeled cloves and roughly chop the tomatoes. Measure the tomato paste, red wine vinegar and chicken stock. Gather the bouquet garni (bay leaf and thyme) and set aside.

Step 2: Preparing and Browning the Chicken
  • 1 whole chicken (3.5 lb/1.6 kg)
  • kosher salt (to taste)
  • freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter

Prepare the chicken by cutting it into 8 or 10 pieces.

To cook the chicken, first season it with salt and pepper. Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat and add the butter. Once the butter foams, add a few pieces of chicken at a time to brown it well on all sides. You’re not cooking the chicken here; just making the skin crisp and giving it color, so 5 minutes per side is about right. Transfer to a plate, once done.

Step 3: Starting the Sauce

To start the sauce, add the garlic to the pan and cook for about 10 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the vinegar and bring to a boil. Reduce it by half. This may take about 10 to 15 minutes.

Step 4: Cooking the Chicken

Return the chicken to the pan. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, and bouquet garni. Simmer, uncovered, until the meat falls from the bone, about 30 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a dish, cover, and keep warm.

Step 5: Reducing & Straining the Sauce

Pour the stock into the pan juices and boil until thickened, about 10 minutes. Strain into a saucepan, and if it’s still not concentrated enough for your liking, boil it down a little more.

Step 6: Finishing the Dish
  • 1 tbsp unsalted butter
  • kosher salt (to taste)
  • freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
  • 10 to 15 parsley stems

Whisk in the remaining tablespoon of butter. Season to taste. Pour over the chicken and sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley.

This dish pairs well with a bowl of roasted or mashed potatoes on the side.

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