Chicken in Reisling

03/28/08

I made this for my in-laws (well before they were in-laws), and they loved it. It's pretty tasty.

You will need:

1 chicken, cut up French style, with the backbone discarded (I used one giant bone-in, skin-on chicken breast and 3 bone-in, skin-on thighs. I originally planned for one more breast and thigh, but they wouldn't fit in the pot. You could easily do this, though, if your dutch oven or casserole was big enough)

1 bunch of leeks (about 3 or 4) - fine chop the white and light green parts, discard the roots and dark green bits
(food processor, baby!)

2 TBS finely chopped shallots (I used 3. Went into the food processor with the leeks.)

1 cup Alsatian Riesling (Please note that you generally won't find an Alsatian Riesling this side of the pond for a cooking wine price. I used a nice, dry German Riesling recommended by the wine man at Trader Joe's, and it was fabulous. Though it was still $7, and I didn't enjoy drinking it so much, it was not the $17 I would have had to spend on an Alsatian. I am not sure about substituting other wines for this recipe. Ask someone if you can't find the German Riesling.)

4 - 5 carrots, peeled, and cut in half

about 6 small, red potatoes, peeled

3 TBS unsalted butter (I used about 1 1/2 TBS of good French butter, unsalted, and made up for the rest with EVOO)

Salt, Pepper, (EVOO or) veg. oil

1/2 c. cream (I used heavy whipping, but I think light would do just fine. But don't use milk.)

Parsley (optional)

about 1/4 lemon


Preheat oven to 350.
In your dutch oven or stove and oven proof casserole, heat and melt 1/3 the butter and some EVOO.
Pat the chicken dry. Salt and pepper all sides.
Brown the chicken in small batches, about 10 minutes each batch. Remove to a plate.

While the chicken is cooking, prepare your leeks and onion.
(Or, if you are a big cheater like I am, pop them in the food processor and get to work on the carrots and potatoes.)

Once all the chicken is cooked, drain the fat from the pot (but don't rinse it!). Add the leeks and onion to the pot with a teaspoon (or less, if you are me) of salt and remainder of the butter. Cook over medium heat, covered, for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the leeks are soft and golden (maybe... mine weren't).

Add the wine, chicken, any juices from the chicken plate, and carrots to the pot and let the wine cook down for about 5 minutes. Give the pot a good stir, to make sure that the leeks are not just burning to the bottom while the chicken hangs out on top.

Put the potatoes in the pot to cook with the rest of the food.

Cover your pot and stick it in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked. (I let mine go for about 30 minutes. It was just dandy.)

When the chicken is cooked through add the cream, a little pepper, and the juice from the lemon to the pot. Stir well, and add some fresh parsley on top.
(I put mine back on the burner for this part, letting the cream and wine cook down a little more, only for about 5 more minutes.)

Serve and enjoy!