Julia Child’s Chicken with Herbes de Provence
The Julia series continues this week with Poulet Saute aux Herbes de Provence, which is sauteed chicken with provencal herbes in a garlicky cream sauce.
When I took the first bite of this dish, I quickly blurted out “this is the best chicken I have ever made”. And I still believe that to be true. The flavors are unlike anything I have combined before.
The chicken is sauteed in butter and olive oil, because..why not? Whole cloves of garlic perfume the casserole and then are roughly smashed, breaking up it’s aroma and flavors even more. The herbes introduced are bright yet earthy. A simple sauce is then whisked together to form the most palatable bite you will ever come across-a simple hollondaise, if you will-combining the flavors of the crushed garlic and herbes. Serve with simple potatoes and roasted vegetables and allow the egg-suace to pour over. This is the best sauce you will ever make.
Method:
1) In a medium casserole pot, heat the butter and olive oil on medium heat until lightly foaming.
2) Add the chicken and cook until lightly brown on both sides, about 5 minutes.
Add salt and pepper, herbes de provence and garlic.
3) Cover pot and allow chicken to cook for about 10-12 more minutes or more if using bone-in. You want the chicken to be cooked through with clear juices running if pricked with a fork.
As the chicken cooks, baste the chicken with its butter several times.
4) When chicken is done, remove to a plate and keep warm.
Mash the garlic in the casserole with the back of a spoon.
5) Add the 1/2c of white wine and reduce it by about half over high heat while scraping the bottom of the pot.
(This is the best part!)
6) In another small pot, beat the egg yolks until they are thick and sticky over medium heat. Beat in lemon juice and 1Tb of white wine.
7) Next, beat in the casserole liquid very slowly, a few tablespoons at a time. This will create a thick and gorgeous hollondaise sauce.
8) Continue to beat the sauce over low heat until it is thick and creamy.
9) Plate the reserved chicken and pour the hollondaise over. Top with freshly chopped parsely and/or basil.
Bon Appetit
Julia’s Chicken with Herbes de Provence
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 320kcal
Ingredients
- 5-6 chicken legs and thighs bone in or out
- 1/2 stick of butter
- 2 tsp herbes de provence
- 3-4 cloves of garlic left whole
- 1/2 c white wine + 1Tb
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 lemon juiced
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley or basil roughly chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- In a medium casserole pot, heat the butter and olive oil on medium heat until lightly foaming.
- Add the chicken and cook until lightly brown on both sides, about 5 minutes.
- Add salt and pepper, herbes de provence and garlic.
- Cover pot and allow chicken to cook for about 10-12 more minutes or more if using bone-in. You want the chicken to be cooked through with clear juices running if pricked with a fork. As the chicken cooks, baste the chicken with its butter several times.
- When chicken is done, remove to a plate and keep warm.
- Mash the garlic in the casserole with the back of a spoon.
- Add the 1/2c of white wine and reduce it by about half over high heat while scraping the bottom of the pot.
- In another small pot, beat the egg yolks until they are thick and sticky over medium heat. Beat in lemon juice and 1Tb of white wine.
- Next, beat in the casserole liquid very slowly, a few tablespoons at a time. This will create a thick and gorgeous hollondaise sauce.
- Continue to beat the sauce over low heat until it is thick and creamy.
- Plate the reserved chicken and pour the hollondaise over. Top with freshly chopped parsely and/or basil.
Nutrition
Calories: 320kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 47g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 246mg | Sodium: 171mg | Potassium: 568mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 269IU | Vitamin C: 20mg | Calcium: 60mg | Iron: 3mg
Looking for more French recipes? Try my updated version of Julia Child’s coq au vin with a glass of Chianti and some good crusty bread.
How do I keep the sauce from breaking? I’ve never tried to make hollandaise before and I think I used too much of the liquid from the chicken pan.
Hi Nicole!! So sorry for the delayed reply..did you make it yet?? My advice is so whisk slowly and make sure to temper the sauce..don’t add everything in too quickly! Good luck 🙂
Olive oil isn’t listed on the ingredient list–how much do you use?
Sorry for the typo Christina…I just do a drizzle, so 2 tablespoons or so!
This was so good, and easy to make as well. I roasted cauliflower, and we dipped it in the leftover hollandaise.
Its amazing and now I need to make the sauce again!