Napoleon's Chicken Marengo is a classic French dish that is steeped in history and culinary tradition. It is believed to have been created by the French chef Nicolas Appert in 1800 to celebrate Napoleon Bonaparte's victory at the Battle of Marengo. The dish features succulent chicken pieces that are browned to perfection and then braised in a flavorful sauce made with white wine, tomatoes, and aromatic herbs. The addition of mushrooms, brandy, and a touch of cream elevates this dish to a gourmet masterpiece.
This article presents three variations of Napoleon's Chicken Marengo, each offering a unique twist on the original recipe. The "Classic Chicken Marengo" recipe stays true to the traditional method, using fresh ingredients and a delicate balance of flavors. The "Provencal Chicken Marengo" adds a vibrant touch of Provencal herbs and sun-dried tomatoes, creating a more rustic and aromatic dish. Lastly, the "Chicken Marengo with Artichokes" incorporates the subtle bitterness of artichokes, adding a delightful textural contrast and depth of flavor.
Whether you prefer the classic version or are looking for a more adventurous culinary journey, these recipes will guide you through the steps of creating this iconic dish in the comfort of your own kitchen. So, gather your ingredients, prepare your taste buds, and embark on a culinary voyage back to the time of Napoleon Bonaparte with these delectable variations of Napoleon's Chicken Marengo.
CHICKEN MARENGO
In the middle of June 1800, Napoleon Bonaparte's troops were engaged in battle with Austrian forces near the small village of Marengo in northern Italy. The battle was fierce, or so the legend has it, and Napoleon, of course, emerged victorious. And hungry. He asked his chef to prepare a meal quickly and the cook scoured the countryside looking for foods to prepare. He scurried around and discovered a chicken, olive oil, tomatoes, herbs, eggs and crawfish. Within minutes, a fire was started and the chef prepared a quick sauté of the chicken with tomatoes, oil and herbs. It is said that he garnished the dish before serving it with a fried egg and crawfish. In my version, the chicken, cut into serving pieces, is simply browned in a little olive oil (I add a touch of butter to give it flavor) on both sides. I then prefer to add sliced mushrooms (there are those who declare that truffles were among the original ingredients), seasonings, wine, tomatoes and parsley and cook covered until done, about 10 minutes longer.
Provided by Pierre Franey
Categories poultry, main course
Time 30m
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 15
Steps:
- Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper to taste.
- Heat the butter and oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces skin-side down. Cook until golden brown on one side, about five minutes. Turn the pieces and cook on the other side about two minutes. Pour off the fat from the skillet.
- Scatter the mushrooms over the chicken. Stir to distribute. Add the onion, garlic, bay leaf and thyme and cook about 5 minutes.
- Add the wine and scrape the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon to dissolve the brown particles that cling to the bottom of the pan. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, chicken broth and parsley. Bring to the boil. Cover and cook 10 minutes. Serve with rice and a tossed green salad.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 703, UnsaturatedFat 30 grams, Carbohydrate 15 grams, Fat 48 grams, Fiber 5 grams, Protein 48 grams, SaturatedFat 15 grams, Sodium 1465 milligrams, Sugar 8 grams, TransFat 0 grams
NAPOLEON'S CHICKEN MARENGO
Chicken Marengo has been subjected to its authenticity over the years and my personal determination is it's a concept not a true recipe. It is said Chef Dunand prepared this dish for Napoleon by quickly soliciting ingredients from local farmers after the June 1800 Win against the Austrians in Marengo, Italy (which is said to become his "lucky" dish). In fact, that same evening N seized Gen. Kellerman's dinner (not this dish), which had been donated by a local monastery. CD didn't go to work for Napoleon until 1801 and was in Russia in June, 1800. N enjoyed chicken ala provencale often for breakfast, which could be the starter base to the CM recipe, C D recorded recipe in 1809. The use of mushrooms, truffles, garlic, black olives, white wine, seasonings, etc. have been other chef's interpretation or personal preferences. Crawfish and French fried eggs were indeed part of the original recipe, but one or both have been left out or substituted throughout the years. I've written a recipe as close to the original, while making it 21st Century user friendly.
Provided by Southern Lady
Categories < 4 Hours
Time 1h5m
Yield 4 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 15
Steps:
- Salt and pepper chicken and pat in seasonings.
- Heat olive oil to med-high.
- Dredge chicken in flour and add to heated oil.
- Brown on both sides, about 3 minutes each side.
- Place browned chicken on papertowels
- In same skillet, saute onions 10 minutes.
- After five mins add minced garlic.
- Add tomatoes, wine, and stir until bubbly.
- Lower heat to a low simmer.
- Return chicken pieces to skillet.
- Simmer for 1 hour if using dark meat, 45 mins if using breasts.
- Check chicken at 15 min intervals. If too dry, add 1/3 C Chicken Broth (or to your liking).
- At first 15 min interval, taste sauce and S& P to your taste.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Add mushrooms and shrimp to simmering chicken at 50 mins or 35 mins, respectively, assure shrimp is simmering in sauce until just pink.
- Butter slices of bread or drizzle olive oil and toast in preheated oven (3-5 mins).
- Add one piece of chicken on top of a slice of toast, spoon sauce over chicken.
- Add 2-3 shrimp on top or around chicken.
- Sprinkle a little parsley on each serving (optional).
- Fry eggs in olive oil or bacon grease, Sunny side up (eggs optional).
- Place egg by side of chicken serving, S&P to taste.
4-STEP CHICKEN MARENGO
Provided by Melissa d'Arabian : Food Network
Categories main-dish
Time 35m
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper, to taste, and lightly dredge in flour. In a large saute pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat and add the chicken. Brown on both sides, until nicely golden, about 3 minutes per side. Remove from the pan and set aside on a plate. In the same pan, add more oil, if needed, along with the onion, mushrooms and peppers and saute until softened and fragrant, but not limp, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Stir in the tomato paste and cook a few minutes to cook out the raw flavor. Turn up the heat, and add the wine/wine to deglaze the pan and let it reduce for 2 or 3 minutes. Add the beef broth and tomatoes. Once the mixture begins to bubble, add the browned paillards and any juices from the chicken and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook until the chicken is warmed through, about 3 minutes. Turn the heat off and stir in the butter. Transfer to a serving platter and serve immediately.
CHICKEN MARENGO: NAPOLEON'S FAVORITE DISH
Steps:
- Season chicken breasts with Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Heat a heavy-bottomed sauté pan over medium-high. Add olive oil and heat for another minute. Add chicken to pan and cook 2 to 3 minutes on each side until the breasts are lightly browned. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.
- Add some butter to the pan and heat until it foams. Then add the onions and cook until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add wine and bring mixture to a boil. Return the chicken to the pan and add the tomatoes. Cover and reduce heat. Simmer 10 minutes or until chicken is tender and cooked through.
- Remove chicken and plate it. Add the chopped olives and thyme to the pan and cook for another minute, then top the chicken with the sauce and serve immediately.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 412 kcal, Carbohydrate 7 g, Cholesterol 117 mg, Fiber 2 g, Protein 38 g, SaturatedFat 6 g, Sodium 278 mg, Sugar 3 g, Fat 21 g, ServingSize Serves 4 (4 portions), UnsaturatedFat 0 g
CHICKEN MARENGO
Categories Chicken Mushroom Tomato Bake Sauté Dinner Red Wine Gourmet Dairy Free Peanut Free Tree Nut Free Soy Free Kosher
Yield Makes 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.
- Pat chicken dry, then combine flour, salt, and pepper in a large sealable plastic bag and add chicken. Seal bag and shake to coat, then remove chicken, knocking off excess flour. Arrange in 1 layer on a plate.
- Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy ovenproof skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté chicken, smooth sides down, until golden, about 2 minutes. Turn over and sauté 1 minute more. Scatter mushrooms around chicken and transfer skillet to oven, then bake, uncovered, until chicken is just cooked through, 5 to 10 minutes.
- Transfer chicken to a plate, then add shallot, garlic, and thyme to skillet (handle will be hot) and sauté over moderately high heat, stirring, 1 minute. Add wine and boil, stirring and scraping up brown bits, until reduced by half, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes, demi-glace, and water and simmer until mushrooms are tender and sauce is reduced by half, about 4 minutes. Season with pepper.
- Return chicken to skillet and simmer, turning, about 1 minute.
- *Available at specialty foods shops. You can also buy Demi-Glace Gold and reconstitute according to package instruction - specialty foods shops and More Than Gourmet (800-860-9385).
CHICKEN MARENGO
Make and share this Chicken Marengo recipe from Food.com.
Provided by evelynathens
Categories Chicken
Time 1h5m
Yield 6 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 14
Steps:
- Wash chicken pieces and pat dry.
- Season chicken and dredge in flour, shaking off excess.
- Heat oil and butter in large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Brown chicken pieces, a few at a time, then remove to a side plate as they are browned and continue with other pieces, adding more oil and butter if necessary.
- Quickly brown mushrooms, then remove to a side plate.
- Add onions to pan and cook over medium-low heat for 5 minutes.
- Stir in broth.
- Add tomatoes, green pepper, olives, garlic and allspice; simmer for 3-4 minutes.
- Return chicken to pan; cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes, or until tender.
- Arrange chicken on platter and keep warm in oven.
- Stir lemon juice into mixture in pan, add mushrooms and bring to the boil.
- Boil until reduced by half.
- Pour over chicken and serve.
Tips:
- Use high-quality ingredients. This will make a big difference in the flavor of your dish. Look for fresh, free-range chicken, ripe tomatoes, and flavorful herbs.
- Don't overcrowd the pan. When you're searing the chicken, make sure to give it enough space so that it can brown properly. If you overcrowd the pan, the chicken will steam instead of sear.
- Cook the chicken until it's cooked through. This is important for safety and flavor. The chicken should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Use a flavorful broth. The broth is an important part of the dish, so make sure to use a good quality broth. You can use chicken broth, vegetable broth, or even white wine.
- Simmer the dish for at least 30 minutes. This will allow the flavors to meld and develop.
- Serve the dish with your favorite sides. Chicken Marengo is traditionally served with mashed potatoes, but you can also serve it with rice, pasta, or vegetables.
Conclusion:
Chicken Marengo is a classic French dish that is easy to make and packed with flavor. With its tender chicken, flavorful broth, and fresh herbs, this dish is sure to impress your friends and family. So next time you're looking for a delicious and easy-to-make dish, give Chicken Marengo a try.
Are you curently on diet or you just want to control your food's nutritions, ingredients? We will help you find recipes by cooking method, nutrition, ingredients...
Check it out »
You'll also love