Chicken Marengo

Theoretically, this is the meal that was prepared for Napoleon after his successful battle in Italy at Marengo. This is probably PR hype from restaurants in Paris hyping the victory for sales. But, it’s a great dish, and one I wanted to prepare on the last of our cool nights.

In about 1/3 cup of hot olive oil, cook your chicken. I did 4 thighs and 5 drumsticks, as they nest well in a my large skillet. Add a bundle of parsley, a bundle of thyme and a handful of garlic cloves. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, covered, for 10 minutes. Flip, cook 10 more minutes. Flip, cook 5 more.

Remove the chicken and cover it. Remove the shallots and herbs too. Add 1/3 cup of flour to the oil and drippings and stir till you get a good rich roux. Add 2 cups of beef broth (we used bone broth). Add back the shallots and herbs and cook down for 10 minutes until thick.

Meanwhile, saute some mushrooms in olive oil. We seasoned these with garlic powder and black pepper.

We prepared a cauliflower mash and plated it. Stack a thigh and leg to go vertically. Surround with the mushrooms and pour on the sauce.

We also toasted some sourdough bread for dipping into the sauce.

The result was an incredible, hearty meal.