Creole Chicken

When the weather turns cold, it's time to get out my dutch oven and make a hearty winter dinner.  This winter hasn't given us too many cold days in Georgia so I have to take advantage of them when I can.  Last week we had one cold, windy day so I pulled a recipe out of my Cook's Country magazine for Chicken Bonne Femme - a perfect cold weather meal.  According to the article in the magazine it was originally a Creole dish. I wouldn't say that I'm a huge fan of Creole cuisine but this chicken dish flavored with bacon and wine and fresh herbs sounded too good to pass up.

  
Chicken Bonne Femme
3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
5 slices of bacon
1 1/2 pounds fingerling potatoes, cut in half
1 onion, chopped fine
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons fresh thyme
3/4 cup white wine
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon hot sauce
3 scallions

Cook bacon in dutch oven until crisp.

On a side note: I was really nervous about using my dutch oven on the stove top because I had heard all sorts of horror stories about people who cracked their expensive le creuset dutch ovens by heating them on the stove. I do not have a le crueset dutch oven but I have another brand and I carefully read over the instructions once again just to make sure that I was not going to experience a kitchen catastrophe in the middle of fixing dinner.  I didn't see anything that warned against putting mine on the stove top so I  went ahead with the recipe as directed. 

Transfer to a paper towel lined plate to drain. Pour off all but 1 Tablespoon of fat from the pan. Season chicken with salt and pepper cook in dutch oven until browned on both sides.

 
Transfer to a platter to cool. When the chicken cools, remove the skin.

Pour off all but 1 1/2 Tablespoons of fat from the pan. Arrange potatoes, cut-side down in the pan. Cook over medium heat about 10 minutes or until browned.

Stir in onion and cook until softened. Add garlic and thyme and cook 30 seconds.

 
Stir in wine, broth, half of the bacon and hot sauce. Bring to a boil.

Return chicken and any juices to pot. Reduce heat to medium and cook, covered, until potatoes are tender and meat registers 175 degrees. (About 25 minutes)

Sprinkle with scallions and remaining bacon.

The chicken was super moist and tender and the broth was rich and flavorful.

Just in case you didn't notice, at the end of every blog post I have posted the recipe from the blog without the pictures to make it easier for you to print recipes.  Click on the words "click here for a printable version of the recipe" in red, just below the word Ciao. 

Ciao!



Chicken Bonne Femme
3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
5 slices of bacon
1 1/2 pounds fingerling potatoes, cut in half
1 onion, chopped fine
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons fresh thyme
3/4 cup white wine
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon hot sauce
3 scallions

Cook bacon in dutch oven until crisp.  Transfer to a paper towel lined plate to drain. Pour off all but 1 Tablespoon of fat from the pan. Season chicken with salt and pepper cook in dutch oven until browned on both sides.  Transfer to a platter to cool. When the chicken cools, remove the skin.  Pour off all but 1 1/2 Tablespoons of fat from the pan. Arrange potatoes, cut-side down in the pan. Cook over medium heat about 10 minutes or until browned.  Stir in onion and cook until softened. Add garlic and thyme and cook 30 seconds.  Stir in wine, broth, half of the bacon and hot sauce. Bring to a boil.  Return chicken and any juices to pot. Reduce heat to medium and cook, covered, until potatoes are tender and meat registers 175 degrees. (About 25 minutes)  Sprinkle with scallions and remaining bacon.