Less than 1 hour 30 minutesFrenchLunchMain courseDinner
Basque‑Style Chicken
A classic from the French Basque Country that smells like a holiday. Tender chicken, peppers, tomatoes and white wine simmering together for an hour: the kind of dish that fills the whole house with an incredible smell and pleases absolutely everyone. A little patience for the cooking, a lot of pleasure on the plate.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 1 h
- Total
- 1 h 20
- Difficulty
- Easy
Method
- 1Finely chop the onion and garlic. Cut the tomatoes into chunks. Slice the peppers into strips.💡 TipDon't cut the peppers too thin so they keep some texture after cooking. Ask your butcher to cut the chicken into 6 pieces, it takes them 30 seconds.
- 2Heat 4 tablespoons of oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook the onions, garlic and peppers for 5 minutes.💡 TipNo need to colour them deeply: you just want to soften them slightly. They'll keep cooking for a long time.
- 3Add the tomatoes to the pot, season with salt and pepper. Cover and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes.💡 TipIf your tomatoes aren't very juicy (out of season), add a splash of water or stock to prevent sticking.
- 4In a separate pan, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil over high heat. Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper and brown them on all sides.💡 TipGood browning takes time. Leave the pieces alone without moving them: they'll develop a nice golden colour and release on their own when ready.
- 5Add the browned chicken to the pot with the vegetables. Pour in the white wine, add the bouquet garni, cover and simmer over low heat for 35 minutes.💡 TipCheck the seasoning at the end of cooking. Remove the lid for the last 5 minutes if you want the sauce to reduce a little.
Tips & variations
Basque chicken is even better the next day: the flavours have had time to develop. Keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days.
For a more authentic version, add a handful of black olives and a pinch of Espelette pepper with the white wine.
Serve with rice, steamed potatoes or simply good bread for mopping up. The sauce is worth soaking up to the last drop.
You can use only thighs and drumsticks if you prefer. The cooking time stays the same.
For a more authentic version, add a handful of black olives and a pinch of Espelette pepper with the white wine.
Serve with rice, steamed potatoes or simply good bread for mopping up. The sauce is worth soaking up to the last drop.
You can use only thighs and drumsticks if you prefer. The cooking time stays the same.
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