These one-pot chicken dishes make a satisfying meal
Decades ago, as I cooked my way through Julia Child’s “Mastering the Art of French Cooking — Volume One,” I was charmed by the pages devoted to fricassees. These delicious stew-like concoctions are one- pot chicken dishes slow- cooked in liquid after they are browned in butter, or in some cases a combination of butter and oil. Broth played an important role and cream was often included in the ingredient list. But not always; the chapter’s Coq au Vin boasted a red Burgundy.
“It is an ideal technique for ahead- of-time dishes, as the chicken loses none of its essential qualities if is it allowed to cool in its sauce and is reheated,” Julia wrote.
Indeed, they are ideal. I was reminded of their irresistibility recently when cooking from Ina Garten’s newest book, “Go-to Dinners.” I had six guests coming for lunch on a rainy day and needed to have a onedish meal, a comforting dish that could be spooned into individual bowls. A heated baguette would be passed, wine poured into glasses. Done.
Garten’s Chicken in a Pot with Orzo was perfect. Everyone loved it including a picky grandchild. A whole chicken bubbled in a mix of veggies, garlic, and chicken broth augmented with a bundle of thyme, parsley, and dill. A smidgen of saffron lent delight to the mix.
I prepared the dish in advance, then brought it to a no-nonsense simmer and stirred in the orzo and let it sit, covered, 25 minutes before serving. Meanwhile I pulled the chicken off the bones. After testing the orzo, I returned the boned chicken to the mixture and then ladled it into bowls. Some fresh chopped dill crowned each serving along with a little sprinkle of kosher salt.
The recipe follows along with two other one- pot chicken dishes. Not Julia’s fricassees, but delectable
none the less. Enjoy. Ina’s Chicken in a Pot with Orzo
Yield: 4 generous servings. Source: “Go-to Dinners” by Ina Garten (Clarkson Potter).
INGREDIENTS
Olive oil
1 (3 1/2- to 4-pound) whole chicken
2 cups (3/4-inch diced) scrubbed carrots (10 ounces)
2 cups (3/4-inch diced) celery (4 stalks)
2 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts (about 3 leeks), soaked in cold water to rise, drained, patted dry
2 cups chopped fennel, stalks and core removed (1 large bulb)
2 teaspoons minced garlic (2 cloves)
4 cups simmering chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon saffron threads 6 sprigs fresh thyme
8 sprigs fresh parsley 10 sprigs fresh dill, plus additional dill for garnish
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup orzo (pasta shaped like rice)
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in medium (11-inch) Dutch oven over medium to medium-high heat. Dry chicken all over, place it in pot breast side down and sear it for 5 to 7 minutes without moving, until skin is nicely browned. Turn chicken breast side up and sear for another 4 to 5 minutes, until browned on the bottom. Transfer chicken to a plate.
2. Add carrots, celery, leeks, and fennel to pot and sauté for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables start to brown. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Return chicken to pot breast side up, spreading the vegetables around the chicken. Add broth, saffron, and enough water to cover the chicken with just an inch of the breastbone exposed. Tie thyme, parsley, and dill together in a bundle with kitchen string and add to the pot along with 1 1/2 tablespoons salt and 1 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Bring to boil, cover, and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, checking to be sure the liquid is simmering. 3. Discard the herb bundle, stir orzo into broth, cover and allow to sit off heat for 20 to 25 minutes, until orzo is tender. Using forks to separate the chicken into quarters, carefully pull the breast meat away from the bones (I leave the bones in the leg portions) and reheat, if necessary. Spoon some of the chicken, broth, veggies, and pasta into large shallow bowls and serve hot sprinkled generously with minced fresh dill and salt.
Biscuit-topped Chicken Pot Pie
Cookbook authors Leah Su Quiroga and Cammie Kim Lin created the recipe for this tasty chicken stew. Each portion is topped with a delectable biscuit that is baked separately. Not a fricassee, the brothy stew uses cooked (rather than raw) chicken along with a welcoming assortment of vegetables. If you like add more veg, such a some sliced fresh mushrooms or fennel.
Yield: 6 servings. Source: “Serious New Cook” by Leah Su Quiroga and Cammie Kim Lin (Rizzoli).
INGREDIENTS For the biscuits:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting 1 tablespoon baking powder 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup heavy whipping cream 1 to 2 tablespoons butter, melted, for brushing tops
For the chicken stew:
2 large potatoes, Russets or Yukon, peeled, cut into 1/2inch cubes
1 to 2 teaspoons salt
2 large carrots, peeled 2 celery stalks
3 tablespoons butter
1 large onion (yellow, or white, or red), diced 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
6 cups chicken broth, warmed and lightly seasoned with salt
2 cups shredded or diced cooked chicken
1 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup chopped (any combination of) fresh parsley, or fresh thyme, or fresh tarragon
DIRECTIONS
1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare biscuit dough. Whisk together flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in large bowl. Drizzle with cream and mix with clean fingers of one hand, lifting the flour up and around until it absorbs the cream. Once it starts to unify into a dough, flip it up and over a couple of times, just until the dough comes together into a loose ball. On a floured surface, pat the dough into a disc about 3/4inch thick. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, place potatoes in medium pot with water to cover them by about 1 inch. Bring to boil on high heat and lower heat to maintain a low boil until potatoes are tender, about 4 to 5 minutes. Drain. Dice carrots and slice celery.
3. In a large pot, using medium heat, melt 3 tablespoons butter. Add onion and cook until almost softened, stirring occasionally, about 7 minutes. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons flour and stir for 1 to 2 minutes, until mixture turns a light golden brown. It will look dry and weird. A ladle at a time, pour the warm broth in, whisking constantly. Once well incorporated and no flour lumps remain, simmer on low heat for about 8 to 10 minutes.
4. Make biscuits. Unwrap dough and cut into 6 evenish freeform shapes — any leftover dough can be used to make biscuits that you can enjoy with jam for dessert. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place biscuits on prepared sheet and brush tops with melted butter. Bake in preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes until tops are golden brown. Set aside until stew is ready.
5. To finish stew, add vegetables and chicken to pot (except for peas). Simmer over medium heat until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Add peas and chopped herbs; cook until warmed through. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
Ladle into individual bowls and top each with a biscuit.
Chicken and Rice
This one-pot chicken casserole dish showcases rice teamed with white wine, tomatoes, and parsley. You can use white or dark meat, or both. This rice-cooking technique calls for stirring the rice once during cooking. Generally, this is a nono, but it is needed here to make sure that the top layer is moist and fully cooked. Source: “The Complete Modern Pantry” from America’s Test Kitchen (America’s Test Kitchen)
INGREDIENTS
3 pounds bone-in chicken pieces (breasts, drumsticks, and/or thighs); see cook’s notes
2 teaspoons salt, divided use 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped 3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice
2 cups chicken broth or water 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained with 1/2 cup juice reserved
1/2 cup dry white wine or dry vermouth
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
DIRECTIONS
1. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and pepper. Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. Place chicken skin side down in pot and cook until well browned, 6 to 8 minutes, reducing heat if pot begins to scorch.
Flip chicken skin side up and continue to cook until lightly browned on second side, about 3 minutes; transfer to plate.
2. Pour off all but about 2 tablespoons fat from pot, add onion and cook over medium heat, stirring often until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add rice and cook, stirring frequently, until coated and glistening, about 1 minute. Stir in broth or water, tomatoes with reserved juice, wine, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt, scraping up any browned bits. Nestle chicken thighs and drumsticks into pot and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer gently for 15 minutes. Nestle chicken breasts into pot and stir ingredients gently until rice is thoroughly mixed; cover and simmer until both rice and chicken are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in parsley. Let dish sit covered for 5 minutes off the heat.
Cook’s notes: If you prefer, substitute 2 pounds of boneless chicken thighs for the pieces of bone-in chicken.