Chicken Grand Mere Francine Food

CHICKEN FRANCESE

Steps:

• Put the chicken breasts side by side on a cutting board and lay a piece of plastic wrap over them. Pound the chicken breasts with a flat meat mallet, until they are about 1/4-inch thick. Put some flour in a shallow platter and season with a fair amount of salt and pepper; mix with a fork to distribute evenly. In a wide bowl, beat the eggs with 3 tablespoons of water to make an egg wash. Heat the oil over medium-high flame in a large skillet.
• Dredge both sides of the chicken cutlets in the seasoned flour, and then dip them in the egg wash to coat completely, letting the excess drip off. When the oil is nice and hot, add the cutlets and fry for 2 minutes on each side until golden, turning once. Remove the chicken cutlets to a large platter in a single layer to keep warm.
• Toss the lemon slices into the pan and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until fragrant. Add the wine, broth, and lemon juice, simmer for 5 minutes to reduce the sauce slightly. Roll the butter in some flour and add it to the skillet, this will thicken the sauce. Stir to incorporate and dissolve the flour. Reduce the heat to medium-low and return the chicken to the pan; place the lemon slices on top of the cutlets. Simmer gently for 2 minutes to heat the chicken through. Season with salt and pepper and garnish with chopped parsley before serving.

POULET DE GRAND-MERE

Steps:

• For the chicken: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Sprinkle the chicken breasts with salt. In a large saute pan, heat enough clarified butter to coat the pan over medium-high heat. Add half the thyme and continue to heat. Place 2 of the chicken breasts in the pan skin-side down and sear until golden brown, basting the flesh side with fat from the pan. Flip the breasts, brown on the other side and baste. Transfer the chicken to a baking sheet. Cook the other 2 breasts in the same manner, adding in the remaining thyme sprigs.
• Place the baking sheet with the seared breasts in the oven and bake until the chicken is firm to the touch, 7 to 8 minutes. Allow to rest before slicing.
• For the just: While the chicken is in the oven, pour off any excess fat in the saute pan and place over medium-high heat. Add enough clarified butter to coat the bottom of the pan and add the bacon lardons. Cook until crispy, and then remove to a plate and reserve. Remove any excess fat from the pan if necessary. Add in the onions and sweat until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Increase the heat, add in the mushrooms and season with salt. Cook the mushrooms until golden brown on all sides, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Add in the white wine and scrap up all the brown bits that have collected on the bottom of the pan. Cook down until the wine has reduced by half. Add in half of the chicken stock and let simmer about 5 minutes. Add in the remaining chicken stock and reduce until slightly thickened Remove from the heat and swirl in the butter. Taste and season if necessary.
• Serve the sliced chicken with the jus and garnish with chopped parsley.

CHICKEN GRAND-MERE

Steps:

• Pat chicken dry; sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Heat 1 T. butter and the oil in Dutch oven or deep 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add several pieces chicken and brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer chicken to platter and repeat with remaining pieces.
• Reduce heat to medium; add onion, garlic, and thyme. Saute until onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Pour off all but 1 T. fat. Carefully pour Cognac into pan and scrape bottom of pan to loosen browned bits. Return chicken to pan, placing breasts on top. Pour in wine and broth and heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low and simmer covered until chicken is tender, 30-40 minutes.
• Transfer chicken to warmed serving platter; cover with foil and keep warm. Cook sauce over medium-high heat until reduced by almost half, 12-15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, fry bacon in separate large skillet over medium heat, until golden, about 8 minutes.
• While bacon is cooking, cut potatoes into 3/4-inch dice and add to bacon in skillet. Fry, stirring frequently, until golden, 5-7 minutes. Using slotted spoon, remove bacon and potatoes to bowl.
• Add mushrooms to skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, 3-4 minutes. Add mushrooms to potatoes.
• Spoon off fat from sauce. Add mushrooms, potatoes, and bacon and stir to coat. Reduce heat to low and simmer until hot, 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in half the parsley and the remaining 2 T. butter. Taste and adjust seasonings. Pour sauce over chicken. Sprinkle with remaining parsley and serve hot.