It doesn't get any more classic French than this. The restaurant uses France's iconic (and expensive) Bresse chicken, but any flavorful, free-range bird will do. If fresh morels are not available, put 1 1/2 ounces dried morels into a bowl, cover with boiling water, and let soak for 30 minutes. Set a sieve over a small bowl and strain mushrooms, reserving liquid. Cook according to recipe instructions, pouring in mushroom liquid with wine, leaving any sediment behind. You can also swap out the morels for crimini (baby bella) mushrooms. What you'll lose in taste you'll gain in savings. Use it to buy a decent bottle of Burgundy—white or red—to drink with the dish.
Recipe information
Yield
Makes 4 main-course servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Melt 2 tablespoons chicken fat in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Season chicken generously with salt and pepper. Add chicken to skillet and cook, turning once, until golden brown, about 6 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to a plate. Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining chicken fat to skillet. Add shallots and sauté until soft, about 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and sauté until they begin to release liquid, about 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, transfer mushrooms to a plate. Add wine to skillet and boil until reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Add stock; bring to a boil. Return chicken to skillet, cover with lid slightly ajar, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes.
Step 2
Transfer chicken to a platter. Return mushrooms to skillet; add cream. Simmer, uncovered, until sauce thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour sauce over chicken and serve.
