This recipe for Chicken with Leeks, Mushrooms and Apples (or Poulet Vallée d’Auge) is a recipe from the Normandy region of France. Normandy is also the home of leeks and Calvados, a brandy made from apples, all of which are incorporated in this incredible dish. What a better recipe for this season when apples are at their best!
Ingredients
Seared Apples, Mushrooms and Chicken
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter, divided
- 2 whole Granny Smith apples peeled, cored, quartered
- 1/2 lb button mushrooms
- 3 legs chicken or 4 chicken thighs
- kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
Sauce
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 leek white and pale green parts only halved lengthwise, rinsed thoroughly and cut into thin slices
- 1 medium shallot peeled and finely chopped
- 2 whole bay leaves
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme or a large pinch of dried thyme
- 1/4 cup calvados or regular brandy
- 1/2 cup hard apple cider or fresh apple juice or white wine
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1/2 cup crème fraîsche or rich sour cream
- 1 tsp all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Gather all ingredients before starting the recipe.
- Pre heat oven to 350℉
- Season chicken with kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper and set aside until ready to cook.
- Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a large non-stick skillet over medium high heat.
- Add 2 whole Granny Smith apples peeled and quartered to skillet and sauté until the apples start to brown, about 5-6 minutes per side. Try not to move the apples once you have placed them in the pan. Remove apple slices from pan and set aside.
- Add another tablespoon of butter to the pan and add 1/2 lb button mushrooms. Sauté the mushrooms until they lose their juice and begin to brown. About 5-6 minutes. Remove mushrooms from the pan and add to the reserved apple slices.
- Add a tablespoon of butter and a drizzle of olive oil to the pan, heat until the butter and oil start to bubble, then add 3 legs chicken or 4 chicken thighs, skin side down.
- Reduce heat to medium and sear the chicken until browned, about 12-15 minutes per side. When both sides have browned, remove chicken to a sheet pan, add the mushrooms and apples to the pan and place in a pre-heated oven to finish cooking the chicken and to keep warm.
Sauce
- Increase heat to medium high and add 1 leek white and pale green parts only, thinly sliced, 1 medium shallot, finely chopped, 2 whole bay leaves, 4 sprigs fresh thyme or a large pinch of dried thyme and season with kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper. Mix to combine, stirring often, until the vegetables soften, about 5-6 minutes. Add a drizzle of olive oil if the pan seems dry. By this time, the leek and the onions should have cooked down and should be very soft.
- Add 1/4 cup calvados or regular brandy to the pan, stir to de-glaze the pan, scraping up all the brown bits, until the brandy has all but evaporated, 4-5 minutes.
- Add 1/2 cup hard apple cider or fresh apple juice or white wine, reduce heat to medium and cook until the liquid is reduced by half, about 3 minutes, then add 1 cup chicken stock and stir to combine.
- Mix 1 tsp all-purpose flour and a couple of teaspoons of water and stir to combine to make a slurry. Fold the slurry into 1/2 cup crème fraîsche or rich sour cream and mix well to combine.
- Remove pan from the heat and add the cream mixture to the pan juices. Stir to combine well.
- Reduce heat to low and return pan to the heat and stir mixture until the sauce slightly thickens. Top the sauce with the reserved chicken pieces, mushrooms and apples. Garnish with fresh thyme leaves and serve.
