MOST OF TIME I TRY AND POST RECIPES WHICH ARE RELATIVELY EASY TO MAKE; DISHES WHICH CAN BE PREPARED IN LESS THAN AN HOUR AND OFTEN LESS THAN THAT. ONCE IN A WHILE, HOWEVER, I MAKE SOMETHING A BIT MORE CHALLENGING. THIS RECIPE FOR CHICKEN WITH MORELS AND PEARL ONIONS IS NOT PARTICULARLY DIFFICULT, BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF MOVING PARTS. THE COORDINATION OF ITS VARIOUS COMPONENTS -- CHICKEN, PEARL ONIONS, LEEKS, MORELS, AND CRÊME FRAÎCHE -- IS INSTRUCTIVE. THIS IS ESSENTIALLY A ONE-POT RECIPE. THE STEPS ARE ARRANGED WITH THAT IN MIND. I TRY AND CONSOLIDATE THEM SO I'M NOT WAITING AROUND FOR THE CHICKEN TO BROWN OR THE MORELS TO SOAK. FOLLOW THEM IN ORDER AND YOUR PREP TIME SHOULD CLOCK IN AT LESS THAN AN HOUR. THE MELDING OF CHICKEN, MORELS, ONIONS, AND CRÊME FRAÎCHE IS SO RICH AND SATISFYING, HOWEVER, YOUR GUESTS WILL THINK YOU'VE BEEN SLAVING FOR DAYS.
NOTE: FRESH MORELS ARE A LUXURY WHICH ARE ONLY BRIEFLY IN SEASON AND PRICEY WHEN THEY ARE. DRIED MORELS, HOWEVER, ARE EASY TO FIND ONLINE AND ONCE THEY'RE REHYDRATED AND BLENDED WITH THE OTHER INGREDIENTS, I DARE YOU TO TELL THE DIFFERENCE. I GOT MINE FROM EUGENE MUSHROOM COMPANY.
BRING A LARGE SAUCEPAN OF WATER TO A BOIL. MEANWHILE, WITH A VERY SHARP KNIFE TRIM OFF JUST THE ROOT AND A SMALL SLICE OF THE STEM FROM EACH ONION. FILL YOUR SINK WITH COLD WATER. DUMP ALL THE ONIONS IN THE BOILING WATER, COVER AND BOIL FOR ONE MINUTE. DRAIN IN A SIEVE AND PLUNGE INTO COLD WATER. SQUEEZE EACH ONION SO IT SLIPS OUT OF ITS SKIN.
DRY THE CHICKEN THOROUGHLY WITH PAPER TOWELS. SEASON WITH SALT AND FRESHLY GROUND PEPPER.
HEAT ABOUT 4 TBSPS OF VEGETABLE OIL IN A STEEP-SIDED FRYING PAN. WHEN THE OIL STARTS TO SMOKE, LAY IN THE CHICKEN PIECES, SKIN SIDE DOWN. DO NOT CROWD. SHAKE THE PAN OR MOVE THE PIECES AROUND WITH TONGS SO THEY DON'T STICK. AFTER A MINUTE, LOWER THE HEAT TO MEDIUM AND BROWN ABOUT 4 MINUTES. RAISE THE HEAT, TURN THE PIECES AND BROWN ON THE OTHER SIDE, USING THE SAME TECHNIQUE. COOK ABOUT 3 MINUTES.
MEANWHILE, PLACE ALL THE MORELS IN A MEDIUM BOWL. COVER WITH WARM WATER. ALLOW TO SOAK FOR AT LEAST 10 MINUTES. STRAIN THE LIQUID INTO ANOTHER BOWL. RINSE THE MORELS UNDER RUNNING WATER. LINE THE STRAINER WITH A LAYER OF PAPER TOWELS AND POUR THE MOREL LIQUID THROUGH IT. RETURN THE MORELS TO THE LIQUID IN THE BOWL.
TRIM THE LEEKS. SPLIT LENGTHWISE IN HALF AND RINSE OFF ANY GRIT UNDER RUNNING WATER. CHOP CROSSWISE INTO 1/2-INCH PIECES.
TRIM AND PEEL THE GARLIC CLOVES. SLICE THINLY.
ONCE THE CHICKEN HAS BROWNED, REMOVE TO A PLATE. RAISE THE HEAT IN THE PAN TO MEDIUM HIGH. ADD 3 TBSPS OF BUTTER AND ONCE IT'S MELTED, ADD THE ONIONS. SALT AND PEPPER. SPRINKLE 1 TSP OF SUGAR OVER THE ONIONS. SHAKE THE PAN OCCASIONALLY TILL THE ONIONS ARE LIGHTLY BROWNED ON ALL SIDES. REMOVE TO A BOWL.
LOWER THE HEAT AND ADD THE LEEKS AND THE GARLIC. STIR CONSTANTLY UNTILT THE LEEKS HAVE SOFTENED. ADD THE THYME SPRIGS.
ADD THE CHICKEN TO THE PAN. POUR IN THE CALVADOS OR ARMAGNAC. RAISE THE HEAT AND COOK FOR 30 SECONDS, THEN ADD THE WHITE WINE. ALLOW TO REACH A BOIL, THEN STIR IN THE CRÉME FRAÎCHE. REDUCE TO A SIMMER.
DRAIN THE MORELS IN A STRAINER. STRAIN THE LIQUID THROUGH PAPER TOWELS. ADD ABOUT 1/2 CUP OF THE LIQUID TO THE CHICKEN.
BLEND IN THE ONIONS AND THE MORELS. COVER AND COOK ON A LOW HEAT FOR ANOTHER 3 MINUTES OR UNTIL THE JUICE FROM THE CHICKEN RUNS CLEAR WHEN PIERCED WITH A FORK.
(NOTE: YOU CAN SERVE THE DISH IMMEDIATELY OR RE-HEAT IT LATER.)
BEFORE SERVING GARNISH WITH CHOPPED HERBS.
SERVES 6 OR MORE
SERVE WITH RICE, ORZO PASTA OR FRENCH BREAD.
Ingredients
Directions
BRING A LARGE SAUCEPAN OF WATER TO A BOIL. MEANWHILE, WITH A VERY SHARP KNIFE TRIM OFF JUST THE ROOT AND A SMALL SLICE OF THE STEM FROM EACH ONION. FILL YOUR SINK WITH COLD WATER. DUMP ALL THE ONIONS IN THE BOILING WATER, COVER AND BOIL FOR ONE MINUTE. DRAIN IN A SIEVE AND PLUNGE INTO COLD WATER. SQUEEZE EACH ONION SO IT SLIPS OUT OF ITS SKIN.
DRY THE CHICKEN THOROUGHLY WITH PAPER TOWELS. SEASON WITH SALT AND FRESHLY GROUND PEPPER.
HEAT ABOUT 4 TBSPS OF VEGETABLE OIL IN A STEEP-SIDED FRYING PAN. WHEN THE OIL STARTS TO SMOKE, LAY IN THE CHICKEN PIECES, SKIN SIDE DOWN. DO NOT CROWD. SHAKE THE PAN OR MOVE THE PIECES AROUND WITH TONGS SO THEY DON'T STICK. AFTER A MINUTE, LOWER THE HEAT TO MEDIUM AND BROWN ABOUT 4 MINUTES. RAISE THE HEAT, TURN THE PIECES AND BROWN ON THE OTHER SIDE, USING THE SAME TECHNIQUE. COOK ABOUT 3 MINUTES.
MEANWHILE, PLACE ALL THE MORELS IN A MEDIUM BOWL. COVER WITH WARM WATER. ALLOW TO SOAK FOR AT LEAST 10 MINUTES. STRAIN THE LIQUID INTO ANOTHER BOWL. RINSE THE MORELS UNDER RUNNING WATER. LINE THE STRAINER WITH A LAYER OF PAPER TOWELS AND POUR THE MOREL LIQUID THROUGH IT. RETURN THE MORELS TO THE LIQUID IN THE BOWL.
TRIM THE LEEKS. SPLIT LENGTHWISE IN HALF AND RINSE OFF ANY GRIT UNDER RUNNING WATER. CHOP CROSSWISE INTO 1/2-INCH PIECES.
TRIM AND PEEL THE GARLIC CLOVES. SLICE THINLY.
ONCE THE CHICKEN HAS BROWNED, REMOVE TO A PLATE. RAISE THE HEAT IN THE PAN TO MEDIUM HIGH. ADD 3 TBSPS OF BUTTER AND ONCE IT'S MELTED, ADD THE ONIONS. SALT AND PEPPER. SPRINKLE 1 TSP OF SUGAR OVER THE ONIONS. SHAKE THE PAN OCCASIONALLY TILL THE ONIONS ARE LIGHTLY BROWNED ON ALL SIDES. REMOVE TO A BOWL.
LOWER THE HEAT AND ADD THE LEEKS AND THE GARLIC. STIR CONSTANTLY UNTILT THE LEEKS HAVE SOFTENED. ADD THE THYME SPRIGS.
ADD THE CHICKEN TO THE PAN. POUR IN THE CALVADOS OR ARMAGNAC. RAISE THE HEAT AND COOK FOR 30 SECONDS, THEN ADD THE WHITE WINE. ALLOW TO REACH A BOIL, THEN STIR IN THE CRÉME FRAÎCHE. REDUCE TO A SIMMER.
DRAIN THE MORELS IN A STRAINER. STRAIN THE LIQUID THROUGH PAPER TOWELS. ADD ABOUT 1/2 CUP OF THE LIQUID TO THE CHICKEN.
BLEND IN THE ONIONS AND THE MORELS. COVER AND COOK ON A LOW HEAT FOR ANOTHER 3 MINUTES OR UNTIL THE JUICE FROM THE CHICKEN RUNS CLEAR WHEN PIERCED WITH A FORK.
(NOTE: YOU CAN SERVE THE DISH IMMEDIATELY OR RE-HEAT IT LATER.)
BEFORE SERVING GARNISH WITH CHOPPED HERBS.
SERVES 6 OR MORE
SERVE WITH RICE, ORZO PASTA OR FRENCH BREAD.
sounds amazing
can I come over to your place when you are serving this?
You’ve got a date. But it’s quite easy to make. I sourced the dried morels on Amazon and they are not only delicious but a helluva lot cheaper than the fresh ones.