Tuesday, 19 August 2014

Cognac Chicken


Cognac Chicken by Carole's Chatter

This Cognac Chicken is adapted from a Dorie Greenspan recipe.  It is easy to do – particularly since once the casserole is in the oven you have to leave it undisturbed for over an hour.
You need a casserole dish which can snugly fit a whole chicken plus some vegetables around it.  This meant that I bought a smaller chicken than usual.
Preheat your oven to pretty much full whack.
While it is heating, truss up your chicken and rub it with salt and white pepper.
Put your casserole dish onto the hob and put a thin layer of oil on the bottom – I used olive oil with a teeny bit of garlic infused olive oil.
Toss your vegetables around in the oil to coat them.  For the vegetables I had 6 or so little potatoes (skin on), 2 small onions (shallots) and a carrot which I sliced on the diagonal.  Add salt and pepper.
Stir in your herbs – fresh thyme, rosemary and a bay leaf.
Push your vegetables towards the sides and pop your chicken in the middle.  
Pour ½ cup of cognac (or brandy) around the chicken.  Leave it on the hob for a minute so the cognac warms up.
Put the lid on your casserole – make sure it is tight fitting or add a layer of foil.
Leave it in the oven for a minimum of an hour.  I had mine in for 1 hour 20 and feel that it could even have benefitted from another 10 minutes or so.
When you are satisfied that the chicken is cooked, put it and the vegetables into a warm bowl covered with foil while you finish the sauce.
The sauce is not thickened at all.   You just skim the fat off the top – or at least as much of it as you can be bothered.  Add a cup of water and boil it away while stirring now and again until it has reduced a bit.  And that's it.

15 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. I mean on the stove - I have gas elements you might have electri!

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    2. Ahhhh thanks, I've never heard that one before!
      Thanks.

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  2. I use brandy in my beef stroganoff and it gives it an amazing flavour. Must try this dish too, sounds delicious!

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  3. Did I miss something? How big was your chicken?

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    1. It doesn't matter as long as it fits snugly with the vegetables in the casserole dish.

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  4. Sounds good! Brandy in French onion soup is amazing.

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  5. There's nothing like a roast chicken when the weather is cooler and this seems like an elegant variation! Glad someone else asked what a hob is ;-)

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  6. Sounds like a meat recipe even I could manage to not mess up!

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  7. I haven't roasted a chicken in awhile - this one sound good and easy. Nothing better than tucking something in the oven and forgetting about it for an hour.

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  8. Cognac chicken, just the name sounds delicious- and the recipe is oh so simple- it sounds great.

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  9. I like the sound of that! We eat lots of chicken here at squirrel head manor, will check that cookbook out of the library again.

    Thanks for your comment and suggestion about cookbooks and the library. Great idea!

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  10. Your adaptation of Dorie's chicken recipe sounds wonderful,and easy too.

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  11. Hi Carole,
    What a beautiful Cognac Chicken, it looks delicious! Thank you so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday and hope you have a fabulous week!
    Come Back Soon,
    Miz Helen

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  12. Can't go wrong with a Dorie recipe. You're making me hungry.

    Madonna
    MakeMineLemon

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