I’m excited to share my Chicken Chasseur, a classic from French Meat Recipes where tender chicken meets a silky tomato, mushroom and cognac sauce with one clever shortcut.
I never thought a dish called Chicken Chasseur would become my go to when I want something that looks fancy but actually acts like regular home cooking. Using chicken pieces bone in skin on and cremini mushrooms the sauce finds a rustic depth that always surprises me.
It belongs in my French Recipes Chicken notes but cuts a flashy figure as one of my Impressive Dinner Party Mains. There is little kitchen drama but lots of layered flavor and it demands attention without shouting.
If you like food that gets better the next day this will make you curious.
Ingredients
- Chicken pieces: Rich in protein, keeps dish hearty, skin adds fat and crispness.
- Mushrooms: Earthy umami, low cal, adds meaty texture and soaks up sauce.
- Shallots: Sweet oniony bite, gives subtle sweetness and aromatics, melts into sauce.
- Garlic: Pungent, boosts savory depth, little goes far, can get bitter if burnt.
- White wine: Adds acidity and brightness, deglazes pan, cuts richness, alcohol cook off.
- Chicken stock: Rounds out sauce, adds savory body and minerals, more gentle than water.
- Tomato paste: Deep tomato umami, slight sweetness and acidity, gives color and tang.
- Butter and oil: Fat for browning and glossy sauce, butter give richness, oil prevents burning.
Ingredient Quantities
- Chicken pieces bone-in, skin-on, about 3 to 4 pounds (1.4 to 1.8 kg)
- Kosher salt, 1 1/2 teaspoons
- Freshly ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon
- All-purpose flour, 1/2 cup
- Vegetable oil or olive oil, 2 tablespoons
- Unsalted butter, 3 tablespoons divided
- Shallots, 2 medium, finely chopped
- Garlic, 2 cloves, minced
- Cremini or button mushrooms, 8 ounces (225 g), sliced
- Dry white wine, 1/2 cup (120 ml)
- Chicken stock, 1 1/2 cups (360 ml)
- Tomato paste, 1 tablespoon (or 1/2 cup crushed tomatoes if you prefer)
- Fresh thyme sprigs, 4 to 6
- Bay leaf, 1
- Fresh flat-leaf parsley, 2 tablespoons chopped
- Brandy or Cognac, 1/4 cup optional
- Fresh lemon juice, 1 teaspoon optional
How to Make this
1. Pat the chicken pieces dry, season all over with 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt and 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, then dredge lightly in 1/2 cup all purpose flour shaking off excess.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the unsalted butter in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium high heat. When hot, brown the chicken skin side down until deep golden, 4 to 6 minutes, flip and brown the other side. Do it in batches if needed so you don’t crowd the pan. Transfer browned chicken to a plate.
3. Reduce heat to medium, add the remaining 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, then add 2 finely chopped shallots and 2 minced garlic cloves. Cook until softened and fragrant about 1 to 2 minutes.
4. Add 8 ounces sliced mushrooms and cook until they release their liquid and start to brown, about 5 to 7 minutes. Stir occasionally so they get color.
5. Pour in 1/2 cup dry white wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up browned bits. Let the wine reduce by about half, 2 to 3 minutes. If using, add 1/4 cup brandy or Cognac now, swirl to combine and let the alcohol cook off for a minute or carefully flambé if you know what you’re doing.
6. Stir in 1 tablespoon tomato paste (or 1/2 cup crushed tomatoes) until evenly coated, then add 1 1/2 cups chicken stock, 4 to 6 sprigs fresh thyme and 1 bay leaf. Bring to a gentle simmer.
7. Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the pan, skin side up, nestling pieces into the sauce. Cover partially and simmer gently until the chicken is cooked through and tender, about 25 to 30 minutes depending on piece size.
8. Remove chicken to a warm platter, discard thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Increase heat and reduce the sauce until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
9. Finish the sauce by stirring in 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley and the remaining butter if needed for sheen. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, and stir in 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice if using for brightness.
10. Spoon the rich mushroom and tomato sauce over the chicken and serve hot with mashed potatoes, rice or crusty bread to soak up every bit.
Equipment Needed
1. Large heavy skillet or Dutch oven (for browning chicken and simmering the sauce)
2. Tongs (to flip and lift chicken, you will use these a lot)
3. Chef’s knife (for shallots, garlic and mushrooms)
4. Cutting board
5. Measuring cups and spoons
6. Shallow plate or pie plate (for dredging the chicken in flour)
7. Wooden spoon or heatproof silicone spatula (to stir and scrape up browned bits)
8. Instant read thermometer (optional but handy to check doneness)
9. Serving platter or large plate and paper towels (to rest the chicken and drain excess oil)
FAQ
Chicken Chasseur (French Hunter’s Chicken) Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Chicken pieces (bone in, skin on): swap for boneless skinless chicken thighs (juicier and cooks faster), bone in chicken breasts (cook a bit longer), or turkey thighs/legs if you want a bigger, meatier result.
- Dry white wine: use dry vermouth, dry sherry, or extra chicken stock plus a tablespoon of white wine vinegar or a squeeze of lemon to mimic the acidity; non alcoholic white wine also works.
- All purpose flour (for dredging): use cornstarch (gives crispier skin; mix as a slurry for thickening), rice flour or a gluten free 1 to 1 baking blend, or skip the coating and just sear the chicken for a lighter sauce.
- Tomato paste: replace with 1/2 cup crushed tomatoes (a little looser texture), canned tomato sauce reduced until thick, or a tablespoon of finely chopped sun dried tomatoes blended with a splash of stock for concentrated flavor.
Pro Tips
1) Pat and dry the chicken really well before flouring, and don’t overdo the flour. A light, even dusting gives a crispy skin and helps thicken the sauce, but too much makes the crust gummy. Shake off excess and let the pieces sit a few minutes so the coating clings better.
2) Don’t crowd the pan when browning, do it in batches. You want a hot pan so the skin sears and renders fat, otherwise the pieces steam. If the pan looks like it’s getting smoky lower the heat a bit, and press the skin down with a spatula for the first minute to ensure full contact.
3) Deglaze well and reduce the sauce to concentrate flavor, scrape up all the brown bits. If your sauce is still thin at the end, whisk in a small knob of cold butter or a teaspoon of beurre manié (equal parts soft butter and flour mashed together) off heat for a glossy finish. If you use brandy, add it off the heat or be careful when flambéing, its optional.
4) Use a thermometer and rest the chicken. Cook to about 160 to 165 F in the thickest part, then let it rest 5 to 8 minutes so juices redistribute. Finish the sauce after the chicken rests, taste for salt, add a tiny squeeze of lemon if it needs brightness, then spoon over the chicken.
Chicken Chasseur (French Hunter’s Chicken) Recipe
I’m excited to share my Chicken Chasseur, a classic from French Meat Recipes where tender chicken meets a silky tomato, mushroom and cognac sauce with one clever shortcut.
6
servings
550
kcal
Equipment: 1. Large heavy skillet or Dutch oven (for browning chicken and simmering the sauce)
2. Tongs (to flip and lift chicken, you will use these a lot)
3. Chef’s knife (for shallots, garlic and mushrooms)
4. Cutting board
5. Measuring cups and spoons
6. Shallow plate or pie plate (for dredging the chicken in flour)
7. Wooden spoon or heatproof silicone spatula (to stir and scrape up browned bits)
8. Instant read thermometer (optional but handy to check doneness)
9. Serving platter or large plate and paper towels (to rest the chicken and drain excess oil)
Ingredients
-
Chicken pieces bone-in, skin-on, about 3 to 4 pounds (1.4 to 1.8 kg)
-
Kosher salt, 1 1/2 teaspoons
-
Freshly ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon
-
All-purpose flour, 1/2 cup
-
Vegetable oil or olive oil, 2 tablespoons
-
Unsalted butter, 3 tablespoons divided
-
Shallots, 2 medium, finely chopped
-
Garlic, 2 cloves, minced
-
Cremini or button mushrooms, 8 ounces (225 g), sliced
-
Dry white wine, 1/2 cup (120 ml)
-
Chicken stock, 1 1/2 cups (360 ml)
-
Tomato paste, 1 tablespoon (or 1/2 cup crushed tomatoes if you prefer)
-
Fresh thyme sprigs, 4 to 6
-
Bay leaf, 1
-
Fresh flat-leaf parsley, 2 tablespoons chopped
-
Brandy or Cognac, 1/4 cup optional
-
Fresh lemon juice, 1 teaspoon optional
Directions
- Pat the chicken pieces dry, season all over with 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt and 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, then dredge lightly in 1/2 cup all purpose flour shaking off excess.
- Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the unsalted butter in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium high heat. When hot, brown the chicken skin side down until deep golden, 4 to 6 minutes, flip and brown the other side. Do it in batches if needed so you don't crowd the pan. Transfer browned chicken to a plate.
- Reduce heat to medium, add the remaining 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, then add 2 finely chopped shallots and 2 minced garlic cloves. Cook until softened and fragrant about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add 8 ounces sliced mushrooms and cook until they release their liquid and start to brown, about 5 to 7 minutes. Stir occasionally so they get color.
- Pour in 1/2 cup dry white wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up browned bits. Let the wine reduce by about half, 2 to 3 minutes. If using, add 1/4 cup brandy or Cognac now, swirl to combine and let the alcohol cook off for a minute or carefully flambé if you know what you're doing.
- Stir in 1 tablespoon tomato paste (or 1/2 cup crushed tomatoes) until evenly coated, then add 1 1/2 cups chicken stock, 4 to 6 sprigs fresh thyme and 1 bay leaf. Bring to a gentle simmer.
- Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the pan, skin side up, nestling pieces into the sauce. Cover partially and simmer gently until the chicken is cooked through and tender, about 25 to 30 minutes depending on piece size.
- Remove chicken to a warm platter, discard thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Increase heat and reduce the sauce until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
- Finish the sauce by stirring in 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley and the remaining butter if needed for sheen. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, and stir in 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice if using for brightness.
- Spoon the rich mushroom and tomato sauce over the chicken and serve hot with mashed potatoes, rice or crusty bread to soak up every bit.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 350g
- Total number of serves: 6
- Calories: 550kcal
- Fat: 35g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Polyunsaturated: 5g
- Monounsaturated: 15g
- Cholesterol: 150mg
- Sodium: 700mg
- Potassium: 600mg
- Carbohydrates: 12g
- Fiber: 2g
- Sugar: 4g
- Protein: 45g
- Vitamin A: 600IU
- Vitamin C: 6mg
- Calcium: 60mg
- Iron: 3mg