Photo: Chicken in Vinegar Recipe
From the cookbook author Anne Willan, I learned her version of this classic recipe during my stay at her home in Burgundy. To tell the truth, I like it even better than sauteed chicken in wine, because the extra acid and lack of cream makes a tangier, less cloying dish.
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 pounds mixed chicken drumsticks and thighs
- Salt and pepper
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 head garlic, broken into unpeeled cloves
- 1 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 pound tomatoes, roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 4 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cup chicken stock
- Chopped fresh parsley leaves, as needed
Directions
Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet until foaming, then, a few pieces at a time, brown the chicken 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. Remove the chicken to a plate.
Add the garlic to the pan and cook about 10 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the vinegar and boil to reduce by half, 10 to 15 minutes. Return the chicken to the pan. Add the tomatoes and tomato paste. Using a piece of kitchen twine, tie together the thyme, parsley, and bay leaf. Add the herb bundle to the chicken and simmer, uncovered, until the meat falls from the bone, about 30 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a dish, cover, and keep warm.
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 you liking, boil it down a little more. Whisk in the remaining tablespoon of butter. Season, and pour over the chicken. Serve with chopped parsley, sprinkled over, and with a bowl of roasted or mashed potatoes on the side.
Review This Recipe
You must be logged in to review this recipe.
or Sign Up to Review
Newest Ratings and Reviews
Read all 33 reviews
By SGarzilli
Atlanta , GA
on September 28, 2012
Flag
Flag This Review?
Please provide the reason why you think this review is inappropriate.
or Cancel
This is excellent! I noticed a couple of posts about the chicken not being cooked properly or the garlic burning. There is another version of Anne's recipe posted on a different site that tells you to use medium high heat and UNpeeled garlic, as the sauce will be strained at then end anyway. The other recipe also uses a whole chicken cut up. One way to prevent your things from burning when you are using butter is to add a little olive oil to it. It is worth trying again if you were not successful with it the first time. It really is amazingly delicious.
By thegabe
on February 08, 2012
Flag
Flag This Review?
Please provide the reason why you think this review is inappropriate.
or Cancel
This dish was simple to put together, though I don't value simplicity that much. The real value is how it turned out. The vinegar (i used champagne vinegar turned out sweet when complete. This was one of the most delicious chicken recipes I've come across. I made it pretty much to spec with the exception of the type of vinegar. I'll make it again
By BirdSong2002
on November 30, 2011
Flag
Flag This Review?
Please provide the reason why you think this review is inappropriate.
or Cancel
Although I love Laura Calder's TV show, I was very disappointed in this recipe. I had watched and recorded the show when she cooked it -- however, neither the show nor the recipe online works. In the TV show, she uses peeled garlic -- but in the recipe is says to use UNpeeled garlic. I was also at a loss as to what temperature to use. I tried three times, and each time I got to a black, ugly mess in the pan after cooking the garlic and had to throw it out. On the fourth try, I just used common sense, peeling the garlic, cooking it on low heat, then removing it because it was still burned. On the fourth try I finally ended up with something decent enough to eat, and it was delicious. Since then I have used both canned tomatoes and fresh, and have also substituted canned tomato sauce for the paste. I will make it again using my own techniques.
Read all 33 reviews