These cold, snowy days have been making me want the coziest of meals. After one of our last snow storms, while Andrew was shoveling out I was inside watching a Rick Steves explore Normandy and the Loire. (I would have helped but I’ve been a little under the weather.) We’ve visited both areas of France, so of course my mind went straight to the food we ate. My mind almost always goes to food.
If you’re looking for a dish that embodies the rich, comforting flavors of French cuisine, Poulet a la Normande (Normandy-Style Chicken) is a perfect choice. Normandy is located in Northern France, and is known for apples, Calvados (apple brandy), cream, and butter. Many traditional dishes from the region incorporate these local ingredients, and Poulet a la Normand is no exception.
Poulet a la Normande
- 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 2 butter
- salt
- 4 shallots diced or one medium onion
- 1 rib celery diced
- 4 oz mushroom, sliced thin
- 4-5 thyme sprigs
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 4 oz pancetta or 6 strips of bacon, chopped
- 1/4 cup Calvados or Brandy
- 2 tbsp flour
- 1/3 cup chicken stock
- 2 apples peeled, cored and cut into wedges
- 1/2cup creme fraiche or heavy cream
- fresh parsley for garnish
Directions
- Preheat the oven on to 375F. Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel and salt all over. Salt and pepper each side.
- In a large Dutch oven brown the chicken in 1 tbsp butter over medium- high heat until golden. Remove to a separate plate and set aside. Discard the chicken fat.
- Fry the pancetta/bacon over medium heat until the fat is rendered. (If the bacon is super fatty, discard most of the fat.) Place the bacon on the same platter as the browned chicken.
- In the same pan add the other tbsp of butter the shallots, celery and apples with 2 sprigs of thyme and cook over low heat until soft . Add the minced garlic and cook for a few seconds longer while stirring. Finally add in the mushrooms, stir until lightly sweated.
- Hit the pan with some Calvados to deglaze, stir while scraping the bottom of the pan. Continue cooking until the alcohol burns out. It usually takes only a minute or two.
- Add the flour and stir until it’s combined with the fat and turns into a paste, then slowly add the chicken stock and stir until the mixture resembles a thick gravy.
- Return the chicken and bacon to the pan with 2-3 sprigs of thyme and bring to a boil.
- Place in your preheated oven and cook with a lid on for 30 minutes. After the 30 uncover and cook for 30 minutes longer.
- Take the pan out of the oven, remove chicken to a separate plate. Stir in the creme fraiche/heavy cream and cook for 15 minutes longer uncovered. Keep an eye on it, you want a gravy like sauce. Once thickened to your liking, place chicken back in the pot.
- Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and serve warm with crusty bread, potatoes, or rice
This dish is a perfect balance of savory and sweet, making it a great option for a cozy dinner or a special occasion. Bon appétit!
