Chicken Normandy

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Chicken Normandy has become my go-to recipe for quick and easy dinner lately.  I have been using another recipe for the past few years, and last winter, I decided to make the recipe even better.  I reworked the ingredients and developed a more flavorful recipe for Chicken Normandy.  Since, it has become one of our favorite dishes to enjoy at home, whether it is the two of us with friends who come over for dinner.

One of the things I like about this recipe besides its rich flavor is that I can start it early in the day, and finish it minutes before dinner is served. If I am going to go this route, I will complete all steps up to adding the mushrooms, then I let the ingredients cool down before place in the refrigerator.  

Thirty minutes before we want to eat, I bring the mixture to room temperature and then finish cooking.  Guests will feel like you were cooking all day when you present them with this rich dish of chicken thighs with a rich and creamy mushroom sauce.

The secret to a great Chicken Normandy is to use an apple cider from the Normandy region as well as Calvados or even apple brandy.  Apple cider from Normandy and is a fermented alcoholic beverage made from apples from the Normandy region of France and is often sparkling.  Both ingredients will add a smooth and slightly tart flavor to the creamy chicken-based sauce.

Tips:

• DO NOT use Apple Cider Vinegar – it is not the same as Apple Cider from Normandy.
• DO NOT use Apple Juice – it will be gawdawful sweet.
• Chicken tighs with bone-in and skin on are just more flavorful.  At least cook with them and remove the skin from the piece you are eating if you are concerned with chicken skin.

I like to serve this recipe of Chicken Normandy with these Duck Fat Smashed Roasted Potatoes for a really delicious treat.  The two recipes go hand-in-hand!

More Chicken Recipes you will Love

Blood Orange Rosemary Chicken Thighs

Chicken Étouffée

Chicken Piccata

Yield: 4 servings

Chicken Normandy

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This recipe for Chicken Normandy is a go-to dish that is rich with flavor, using crisp Normandy cider and sultry brandy along with mushrooms.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Ingredients

• 8 chicken thighs, bone-in, and skin on
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 medium leek, cleaned well, and thinly sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 cup apple brandy or Calvados
• 1 1/2 cups apple cider from the Normandy region
• 1/2 pound cremini mushrooms, cleaned and thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup Italian parsley, finely minced
• kosher salt
• black pepper

Instructions

Salt and pepper the chicken thighs.


In a large dutch oven heat the olive oil over medium heat.


Add the thighs to the frying pan and cook until golden on each side; about 5 - 7 minutes per side.
Remove the thighs and set them on a plate.


In the same frying pan with the chicken fat, add the leek, stir and cook until soft over low heat. This will take about 5 minutes.


Add the garlic and thyme. Stir and cook for 1 minute.


Deglaze the pan with brandy or Calvados.


Place the chicken back into the dutch oven, along with any juices that collected on the plate.


Pour the cider over the chicken, stir and then cook over low heat for another 10 minutes.


Stir in the mushrooms, and cook for another 10 - 15 minutes. Until the chicken registers 150 on a meat thermometer. Stirring occasionally.


Stir in the heavy cream, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Then cook for another 5 minutes until thickened.


Stir in the parsley.


Serve.


Eat.

Notes

Calvados is nice but can be expensive; apple brandy works just as well. Apple cider is a beer not drink from Normandy, do not use apple cider vinegar or apple juice, as you will be so disappointed.

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