Poulet au Vinaigre (Chicken with Vinegar)

Name: Poulet au Vinaigre (Chicken with Vinegar)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 90 min
Ingredients: 4 5-7 oz bone-in chicken thighs (trimmed); ½ tsp. salt; ¼ tsp. pepper; 1 ½ tsp. vegetable oil; 2 Tbs. shallot (minced); 1 clove garlic (sliced thin); ½ cup chicken broth; ½ cut dry white wine; 2 ½ Tbs. red wine vinegar (plus extra for seasoning); 1 ½ tsp. tomato paste; 1 Tbs. butter (unsalted, chilled); 1 ½ tsp. tarragon (fresh, minced)

Prep: 15 min

Ready: 1.5 hours

Servings 2-4

I would say since COVID has started, this has been my favorite recipe to date to make. I have made this recipe at least five or six times, and every time I make it we seem to like it more. It takes a little time to make, but it is worth every minute.

Chicken thighs, in my opinion, are the most overlooked part of a chicken. They have a lot of flavor, and they are very inexpensive. Also, I have been able to use the French tarragon I have growing in our herb garden.

This recipe was inspired from the September/October issue of “Cooks Illustrated” to which we have a subscription and enjoy very much. We try to make a recipe or two each month from the magazine. So thanks Cook’s for the wonderful recipe! It is one of our favorites.

Ingredients

• 4 (5- to 7-ounce) bone-in chicken thighs, trimmed

• ½ tsp. salt

• ¼ tsp. pepper

• 1 ½ tsp. vegetable oil

• 2 Tbs. minced shallot

• 1 garlic clove, sliced thin

• ½ cup chicken broth

• ½ cup dry white wine (cheap wine works)

• 2 ½ Tbs. red wine vinegar, plus extra for seasoning

• 1 ½ tsp. tomato paste

• 1 Tbs. unsalted butter, chilled

• 1 ½ tsp. minced fresh tarragon

Directions

1. Place a metal rack at the center of your oven and preheat it to 325 degrees.

2. In a 12-inch pan, heat vegetable oil until it starts to bubble. I have used several pans for this and found that my enameled LeCreuset 14” 3 1/2 qt. braiser works best. It seemed to brown the chicken perfectly, and I was able to take it from the stove to the oven which is wonderful. I have also used a round copper pan which worked just as well.

3. Pat dry the chicken and place skin side down into the pan. Salt and pepper the top. I used fresh ground pepper and salt and covered the pan with a screen mesh that I purchased at a dollar store to stop splattering grease. Cook for 7-8 minutes without moving. Carefully flip the chicken over with metal tongs. I found the first time I did this the skin was sticking to the pan so you may have to work it a little bit to keep the skin attached. This is where the enameled braiser worked best for me and gave me the best results.

4. Remove the chicken from the pan and place on a plate. Cover with aluminum foil.

5. Remove all but a few Tbs. of the fat from the pan and add the garlic and shallots. With a wooden spoon, stir until golden brown. Add the chicken broth, wine, and vinegar and stir into the pan until it begins to simmer. Make sure to scrape the sides of the pan with the wooden spoon to remove any of the remaining chicken scraps. This is the good stuff!

6. Place the chicken back into the pan skin side up making sure it is above the liquid. If the liquid is too high, remove some of it with a turkey baster.

7. Bake uncovered 35-40 minutes. If you have a digital or meat thermometer it should register 195 degrees.

8. Remove your pan from the oven (Be very careful because it will be hot.) and place back onto the stove over medium heat.

9. With metal tongs remove the chicken from the pan and place it on a clean plate. Cover with aluminum foil.

10. Add the tomato paste and whisk. (I have been finding a tube of paste works best for small amounts, and I can keep it refrigerated.) Bring to a boil. Make sure to keep scraping the sides of the pan with a wooden spoon. Keep stirring until it thickens and reduces. Be patient. It may take 5-10 minutes for this to happen. Once it has thickened, whisk in the butter and chopped tarragon, salt, and pepper to taste and add an additional teaspoon of extra vinegar. (I thought a tsp. worked best.)

Place chicken back in the pan. With a spoon, slather the sauce over the chicken.

11. Plate the chicken in large shallow bowls or plates and spoon sauce over top. I sided this chicken with rice and a loaf of artisan bread and Irish butter.

I love this recipe. The flavors are fantastic. I will make this again and again. Enjoy!

P.S. Thanks again to Cook’s for a wonderful recipe!