Best Poulet Zaza Chicken With Champagne Sauce Recipes The New York Times Recipes

POULET CHASSEUR

Steps:

• Have the butcher cut the chicken into eight serving pieces.
• Wipe the mushrooms clean and thinly slice the caps, discarding any tough stems. Peel the shallots and slice them thinly. Set aside.
• Combine the flour and salt and pepper to taste in a shallow dish and set aside. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or large flameproof casserole over medium-high flame. Dredge half of the chicken pieces in the seasoned flour, shaking off the excess. Carefully place the pieces in hot oil in the pot. Cook until lightly browned on all sides. Transfer to a platter lined with paper towels and repeat with the remaining chicken pieces.
• When all the chicken has been browned, add the shallots and shiitakes to the pan and sprinkle with thyme, marjoram and tarragon. Saute over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until the vegetables are wilted, about two to three minutes. Add the vermouth and cook until reduced by about half.
• Return the chicken parts to the pan. Stir in chicken stock, tomato paste, tomato puree and bay leaf. Season with coarsely ground pepper and bring to a boil. Transfer the Dutch oven to the oven and cook for 25 to 30 minutes, until the chicken is done.

BREASTS OF CHICKEN ALLA FRANCESE

Steps:

• Place each chicken breast half between sheets of plastic wrap. Pound the chicken very thin with a flat mallet or meat pounder. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Dredge on both sides with flour. Shake off excess.
• Beat egg well. Add milk, salt and pepper to egg. Blend well with a wire whisk. Dip chicken breasts in egg mixture to coat well on both sides. Remove excess egg mixture.
• Heat oil in a nonstick skillet large enough to hold pieces in one layer. Cook over medium-high heat about 2 minutes on one side or until golden brown. Turn and cook on the other side. Remove chicken to a warm serving plate and add butter and lemon juice to skillet. Cook and blend well very quickly. Pour sauce over chicken breasts. Garnish with lemon slices and sprinkle with parsley.

ROASTED CHICKEN PROVENçAL

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400 degrees. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Put the flour in a shallow pan, and lightly dredge the chicken in it, shaking the pieces to remove excess flour.
• Swirl the oil in a large roasting pan, and place the floured chicken in it. Season the chicken with the herbes de Provence. Arrange the lemon, garlic cloves and shallots around the chicken, then add the vermouth to the pan.
• Put the pan in the oven, and roast for 25 to 30 minutes, then baste it with the pan juices. Continue roasting for another 25 to 30 minutes, or until the chicken is very crisp and the meat cooked through.
• Serve in the pan or on a warmed platter, garnished with the thyme.

CHICKEN WITH CHAMPAGNE SAUCE (POULET ZAZA)

Steps:

• Sprinkle the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Dredge the pieces in flour and shake off excess.
• Cut each carrot into 2-inch lengths. Cut each length into 1/8 inch-thick slices. Stack the slices and cut them into1/8 inch thick slivers (julienne). There should be about one and a half cups. Set aside.
• Cut the green beans and celery into 2-inch lengths. Cut each length into julienne slivers. There should be about a cup of green beans and slightly less than a cup of celery. Set aside.
• Heat the butter and oil in a heavy skillet large enough to accommodate the chicken in one layer. When the fat is quite hot add the chicken pieces, skin side down, and cook about three minutes over moderately low heat. Turn and cook the second side about two minutes. Remove the pieces to a serving dish. Pour off all but one tablespoon of the fat. Add the shallots and cook briefly, stirring.
• Return the chicken pieces to the skillet and add the champagne. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Partly cover and let simmer about 15 minutes.
• Have ready a basin of ice water to add the vegetables to when they are cooked.
• Meanwhile, bring a large quantity of water to a boil. Put the carrots in a sieve and add them in the sieve into the boiling water. Let cook about two and a half minutes. Remove them in the sieve and add them to the ice water. Drain.
• Repeat with the celery, letting it cook about one and a half minutes. Chill and drain.
• Repeat with the green beans, letting them cook about two minutes. Chill and drain.
• Remove the chicken pieces to a warm serving dish. Cover closely with foil.
• Cook the sauce down over high heat until reduced to about three-quarters of a cup. Add the cream and bring to a simmer.
• Combine the egg yolks and water in a heavy saucepan. Place the pan on a heatproof pad such as a double metal Flame Tamer and heat the yolk mixture until tripled in volume and thickened like a foamy, rich custard or sabayon. Do not overcook or the yolks will scramble. The cooking without boiling should take about 10 minutes.
• Add the vegetables to the cream sauce. Pour the sauce over the chicken and serve.