Chicken Sautéed in White Wine

Preparation

1. Step 1

   For 2 1/2 to 3 pounds of chicken parts, serving 4 people. Brown the chicken pieces on all sides in hot butter and oil. Remove the wings and breasts, which need less cooking. Season legs and thighs, cover the pan, and continue to cook over moderate heat for another 10 minutes, turning once. Season the white meat and return it to the pan. Stir in 1 tablespoon minced shallots, 2/3 cup chicken broth, 1/2 cup dry white wine or vermouth, and 1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon or Provençal herbs. Cover the pan and cook at the slow simmer 5 to 6 minutes more, turn, and baste the chicken pieces with pan juices, then continue cooking until tender—about 25 minutes in all. Remove the chicken to a hot platter. Spoon off fat and boil down cooking liquid to reduce by half. Off heat, swirl in the enrichment butter, pour the sauce over the chicken, and serve.

2. Variations

   Step 2

   A PROVENCAL ADDITION. After returning the white meat to the pan, stir in 2 cups of fresh tomato pulp, page 30, and continue with the recipe. When you have removed the chicken, boil down the sauce until thick and fine, and carefully correct seasoning.

   Step 3

   CHICKEN PIPÉRADE. In a separate pan, sauté 1 cup of sliced onions in olive oil until tender then add 1 cup each of sliced red and green pepper and a large clove of garlic, minced. Sauté together for a moment. Add to the chicken when you return the white meat.

   Step 4

   BONNE FEMME—ONIONS, POTATOES, AND MUSHROOMS. After removing the white meat, add to the dark meat 3 or 4 medium Yukon-gold potatoes, quartered and blanched, and 8 to 12 small white onions (page 28). Continue with the recipe. After returning the white meat, fold in 1 1/2 cups of previously sautéed quartered fresh mushrooms, and finish the recipe.

3. When is the chicken done?

   Step 5

   The flesh of the drumsticks and thighs is just tender when pressed. The juices run clear yellow when the meat is pricked deeply—if there’s no juice, you have overcooked it, but the chicken must be cooked through.

4. Provençal Herbs—Herbes de Provence

   Step 6

   A mixture of ground dried herbs, such as bay, thyme, rosemary, and oregano.