Chicken in Red Wine Vinegar Sauce
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Author Notes: I include this divine Lyonnaise dish in a class I have taught many times featuring four (and sometimes five!) chicken dishes from different parts of France. Many of my students are put off by the title of the recipe, but when the class is over, they almost unanimously declare this dish to be their favorite!
I’m going to be remembered for this dish, like it or not. They say the way to a man’s heart (and probably a woman’s, too) is through the stomach. Well, I have a couple of good friends who literally demand I make this dish. It is a goodie. - ChefJune
Food52 Review: Variants on this have become a nostalgia-inducing staple since my time in Lyon. Bocuse’s take uses purely butter, but ChefJune’s combination of fats leaves nothing to be desired -- one could be forgiven for nibbling chicken as the vinegar reduces. If your pan is full, as mine was, give the chicken closer to 15 minutes per side. I used Pompeian vinegar -- vinegar enthusiasts may want to back off on the cream, but however you prefer your sauce, the most important thing is to have a fine baguette on hand to sop it up! - kdavey
Makes 6 generous servings
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 whole chicken (about 4 pounds) cut into 10 pieces -- you could use all breasts or all leg portions if you prefer. I use free-range chicken.
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 4 shallots, finely chopped
- 1 cup top quality red wine vinegar (I use Heinz)
- 1 cup crème fraîche or heavy cream, preferably not ultrapasteurized
- Finely chopped fresh (flat leaf) parsley, for garnish
- Mix salt and pepper together in a small bowl. Rub each piece of chicken with the mixture.
- Heat the oil and melt the butter in a deep-sided 12-inch sauté pan over medium-high heat. (If your pan isn't large enough to hold all the chicken in a single layer, use 2 smaller pans, and put half the chicken, oil, and butter in each one.) When the oil is hot but not smoking, use tongs to add the chicken, skin side down. Brown on both sides until the skin becomes beautifully golden brown and the chicken is thoroughly cooked, about 12 to 15 minutes on each side. If not fully cooked through, turn the heat down to finish cooking to keep the skin from burning.
- Remove the chicken to a serving platter and cover loosely with aluminum foil to keep warm. Pour off about half of the fat in the pan. Add the shallots to the remaining oil and brown over medium high heat. Slowly add the vinegar to the skillet and boil until reduced to almost a syrup. (The fumes will definitely clear your sinuses -- great for a cold!) Add the crème fraîche and cook until the mixture is well blended and has turned a nutty brown color, about 5 minutes. Return the chicken to the pan to coat thoroughly and heat briefly in the sauce.
- Return to the platter, garnish with parsley, and serve immediately. Season with salt to taste. If there is extra sauce, pass it in a small bowl.
- Teacher’s Tip: Be sure the vinegar has boiled down enough before you add the crème fraîche or you'll end up with a beige, watery sauce.
- This recipe is a Community Pick!
- This recipe was entered in the contest for Your Best Recipe with Vinegar
- This recipe was entered in the contest for The Recipe You Want To Be Remembered For
Tags: Easy, savory, serves a crowd
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5 days ago kmclark121
Could I sub buttermilk into this recipe instead of cream fraiche or heavy cream?
5 days ago Warren
I must have done something wrong. It said to boil the vinegar but the shallots started to burn and it didn't quite get thick. Then when I added the creme fraiche it just sort of weird and burnt tasting. Maybe the vinegar should have been slowly simmered?
4 days ago radovanovic.rade
Similarly here. Was not to burned taste but there was no taste of vinegar and shallots got burned.
10 days ago Regine
Tastysweet, I did the same thing too, putting the chicken in oven (in a big pyrex) at 400 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes while I was preparing the sauce. The process of browning the chicken was messy for me too due to the oil somewhow flying all over in the air and on my oven - which I kept cleaning as I was going along. Love the recipe though. I may one day try to just bake the chicken pieces to avoid the mess, and then use my HI BROIL feature for a few minutes for the chicken to brown; and then take half the fat etc. and transfer to a pot to cook the shallots and add the vinegar and cream.
10 days ago ChefJune
I recommend a spatterproof lid. It saves your stovetop and your kitchen walls!
10 days ago tastysweet
Made this last night with 3 large half breasts and 4 thighs. Because the breasts were so huge had to use. 2 pans. Other than it was a very messy cooking process, it was delicious. But after giving the chicken a very good browning on both sides( about 12 minutes) I put all the chicken pieces on a baking sheet and covered them with aluminum foil and finished it in the oven at 400° for 15 to 20 minutes. The sauce I cooked off in one of the pans I cooked the breasts in. Then just spooned it over the finished chicken. Left overs tomorrow!
10 days ago ChefJune
Did you cut those huge breasts in half? I try to make all the pieces more or less even in size for even cooking. Plus, only a teen age boy can really eat a whole one of those breasts (lol).
11 days ago Regine
Really good but i used 4lbs combination of skinless thighs and legs and i think that next time i might double sauce recipe. I must have had maybe 8 thighs and 8 legs, and while sauce was enough to coat meat, i did not hae much left. Maybe the skin is heavy and if included in weight, i might have had way less meat surface to be coated, and hence more sauce. But regardless, it was delicious.
12 days ago KristaFriday
Can't wait to make this; it sounds absolutely delicious! Just so I have a point of reference (even a very rough one), how much time does it generally take the vinegar to boil down to a syrup-like substance? This is more to help me understand the general timing before diving in. Thanks so much!
11 days ago ChefJune
Hi KristaFriday: it usually takes me 15-20 minutes, because I don't like to put the heat up too high. Don't want to risk burning...
13 days ago Dohn Riley
The only way I have found to print the picture along with the recipe is to copy the the relevant portion from the title down to the end of the recipe and paste it into a word processor. Then you will have to fiddle with the contents to get it to look at all elegant. Be sure to save the final product to your recipe file for the inevitable requests for a copy of the wonderful meal you have cooked for someone.
13 days ago patchevrier
how do I print the recipe photo?---I enjoy having those with the recipe and this site doesn't allow it ( I've tried several ways without success).
13 days ago The Yumyum Lady
You can right click on the picture and click "copy photo". Open a Word program blank page and click "paste". Then you can also copy and paste the recipe onto the same page under the photo. I do this all the time, then go into file and click "Save As", and save the recipe in a recipe file until you're ready to prepare it.
13 days ago Scriptotres
i made this with a vinegar containing wine must, this makes it caramelize and adds quite a lot of miam
11 days ago ChefJune
Scriptotres: Even good old Heinz RWV caramelizes if you reduce it down to a syrup.
13 days ago JenniferNeri
This is the first time I ever leave a message on a food blog--but this was so good I had to say it! Everyone at the table from 2 to 39 years of age gobbled this up & so easy to make!
11 days ago ChefJune
Thanks, JenniferNeri. I'm so glad you liked it!
13 days ago tastysweet
How can I print this recipe which looks amazing, without all the unnecessary ads?
Just want the recipe.
Thanks.
13 days ago ChefJune
If you click on the printer icon, you will get the recipe with no additional "stuff."
12 days ago tastysweet
Thanks. I guess I just didn't see it before.
13 days ago Dru Ferrence
I think this recipe looks totally amazing. However, we live in a dairy free house due to a granddaughter's life threatening allergy. Any suggestions for removing the dairy and still using the oil and vinegar?
13 days ago ChefJune
just leave the cream out and don't reduce the vinegar quite as far.
13 days ago Nancy Bugbee
What about using skinless chicken breasts?
16 days ago QueenSashy
I wish I had some chicken on hand so that I can make it right now! Congratulations on the CP!
16 days ago fiveandspice
Emily is a trusted source on Scandinavian Cuisine.
Yum! This looks delightful!
16 days ago Kukla
Congratulations ChefJune on a very well deserved CP! I would love to have a drumstick right now.
29 days ago drbabs
Barbara is a trusted source on General Cooking.
Yum
about 1 month ago LE BEC FIN
june, i have been wanting to do a vinegar chicken dish for some time now, so now i have your guidance! I was wondering about adding some tarragon; what do you think?
about 1 month ago ChefJune
Mindy, make it first without it. Then see whether you want to add it.
about 2 years ago monkeymom
This looks amazing! Have you ever tried different vinegars with this dish? Just wondering about a champagne or white version.
about 2 years ago ChefJune
Have done it with brown Chinese vinegar, and also with organic apple cider vinegar. It also works well with thin-cut pork chops.
about 2 years ago Bevi
I will make this - if I am making with 3 chicken breasts, would cutting the recipe in half work?
about 2 years ago ChefJune
Not quite. 3 breasts will yield 6 pieces, and that's more than half of 10. Maybe a "large" half?