Poulet chasseur

Tender pieces of chicken braised in a classic French hunter’s sauce with mushrooms, white wine, tomato and herbs. A timeless dish for a calm, cosy meal.

Serves: 4
Preparation: approx. 15 minutes
Cooking: approx. 40 minutes
Total time: approx. 55 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 whole free-range chicken (approx. 1.5 kg), cut into 8 pieces
• 2 tablespoons olive oil (or other neutral oil)
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 250 g chestnut mushrooms, sliced
• 1 tablespoon tomato purée
• 100 ml dry white wine
• 400 g chopped tomatoes (tinned)
• 150 ml chicken stock
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2–3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley

Preparation

• Cut the chicken into 8 pieces if the butcher has not already done so.
• Peel and finely chop the onion.
• Peel and finely chop the garlic.
• Wipe or brush the mushrooms clean and slice them.
• Wash the parsley, shake dry and finely chop.

Method

1. Brown the chicken
   Pat the chicken dry with kitchen paper and season generously with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil and butter in a large casserole over a medium-high heat. Fry the chicken in 2–3 batches until golden all over, then set the browned pieces aside on a plate.
2. Fry the vegetables
   Turn the heat down slightly. Add the onion to the fat in the pan and sweat gently until translucent. Add the garlic and mushrooms and cook for about 5 minutes more, until the mushrooms are lightly coloured and have released some moisture.
3. Add the tomato purée and deglaze
   Stir the tomato purée into the onion and mushrooms and cook for 1–2 minutes, so the purée darkens slightly. Pour the white wine into the pan, stirring to loosen the browned bits from the base. Let the wine reduce for 2–3 minutes.
4. Build up the sauce
   Add the chopped tomatoes, chicken stock, thyme and bay leaf. Bring the sauce to the boil and taste briefly; season lightly with salt and pepper if needed.
5. Let the chicken simmer
   Return the chicken pieces to the pan, skin-side up, and make sure the chicken is mostly submerged in the sauce. Lower the heat and set the lid on the pan slightly ajar. Let the chicken simmer gently for 35–40 minutes, until the meat is cooked through and tender and the sauce has reduced slightly.
6. Finish the dish
   Remove the bay leaf. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning with salt and freshly ground black pepper if needed. Just before serving, sprinkle the finely chopped parsley over the chicken and sauce.
7. Serve the dish
   Serve the poulet chasseur in the pan or transferred to a preheated serving dish, with the sauce and mushrooms generously spooned over. Delicious with creamy mashed potatoes, boiled or steamed potatoes, or a fresh baguette to dip into the sauce. Optionally, you can sprinkle a little extra parsley over at the table.