Classic poule au pot helps you eat like a king

Classic French poule au pot – chicken in a pot – is made with a whole chicken, stuffed with seasoned bread and braised alongside vegetables in a Dutch oven.

It’s hearty country fare, a rustic meal King Henry IV wished all of his subjects could enjoy once a week. He was nicknamed “King of the Chicken in the Pot” for his statement, “I wish that there would not be a peasant so poor in all my realm who would not have a chicken in his pot every Sunday.”

The dish traces its origins to at least the mid-16th century. America’s Test Kitchen gave it an update during its 2014 TV season in a show titled “French-Style Dutch-Oven Dinners.” Inspired by that episode, as well as the companion cookbook – but limited on time and pantry items – I simplified it even further. And I was quite pleased with the humble results.

The show’s take on the traditional, one-pot chicken dinner used breast and legs instead of an entire bird. Pork-and-bread-crumb stuffing was patted into logs, wrapped in parchment paper and nestled inside the pot – instead of crammed into the cavity of a whole chicken. Mustard and minced cornichons came together for bold and savory dressing.

I pared down the recipe, skipping the pork-stuffing cylinders and herbed cornichon dressing. Because I had a rich, homemade chicken stock, I didn’t feel I needed to add the bouquet garni, something I had already done when I initially made the stock. I left out carrots, too, but if I had them I would have placed them in the pot. (So they’re included in the recipe below.)

My basic and super-easy version featured two fennel bulbs instead of one (partly to make up for my lack of carrots), gold instead of red potatoes, and boneless, skinless chicken breasts instead of both bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts and legs.

The Test Kitchen version looked simple and flavorful and inspired me to make something similar out of what I had on hand. My impromptu take on the classic French Sunday dinner – with fewer components – was even easier to make. But it was also filling and healthful.

Here’s my pared-down version, along with the original recipes for the show’s sausage stuffing and herb sauce.

Pared-Down French-Style Chicken in a Pot

Adapted from “The TV Companion Cookbook 2014” by America’s Test Kitchen

2 teaspoons olive oil

3 or 4 chicken breasts

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 1/2 pounds small red or gold potatoes, unpeeled

2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch lengths

2 fennel bulbs, quartered, stalks trimmed

8 whole peppercorns

2 cloves garlic

2 sausage stuffing cylinders, optional (See recipe below)

3 to 3 1/2 cups chicken broth, preferably homemade

1 bay leaf

1/2 teaspoon marjoram

Fresh minced parsley, for sprinkling, optional

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees. Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. Pat chicken dry with paper towels, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook until browned, 4 to 7 minutes. Transfer chicken to large plate. Remove Dutch oven from heat; pour off any fat.

Arrange potatoes, carrots and fennel in even layer on bottom of pot. Sprinkle peppercorns, garlic and salt and pepper over vegetables. Arrange chicken and sausage cylinders, if using, in layer over vegetables. Add broth so that ½ inch of vegetables is above surface of liquid. Add bay leaf and marjoram. Place pot over high heat and bring to simmer. Cover, transfer to oven and cook until chicken registers 160 degrees, about 1 hour.

Transfer chicken and vegetables to serving platter. Transfer sausage cylinders, if using, to cutting board, unwrap and slice into ½-inch rounds, then transfer to serving platter. Pour broth through fine-mesh strainer into fat separator; discard solids. Let stand 5 minutes.

Pour ½ cup defatted broth over chicken, vegetables and, if using, sausage, on serving platter. Sprinkle with fresh minced parsley, if desired. Ladle additional broth over individual servings as desired.

Sausage Stuffing

From “The TV Companion Cookbook 2014” by America’s Test Kitchen

2 slices hearty white sandwich bread, crusts removed, torn into quarters

1 large egg

1 shallot, minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

2 tablespoons minced fennel fronds

2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard

1 teaspoon minced fresh marjoram

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 pound bulk pork sausage

Pulse bread in food processor until finely ground, 10 to 15 pulses. Add egg, shallot, garlic, parsley, fennel fronds, mustard, marjoram and pepper to processor and pulse to combine, 6 to 8 pulses, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add sausage and pulse to combine, 3 to 5 pulses, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.

Place 18-by-12-inch piece of parchment paper on counter, with longer edge parallel to edge of counter. Place half of stuffing onto lower third of parchment, shaping it by rolling it into rough 8-by-2-inch rectangle. Roll up sausage in parchment; gently but firmly twist both ends to compact mixture into 6- to 7-inch-long cylinder, approximately 2 inches in diameter. Repeat with second piece of parchment and remaining stuffing. Then see above recipe for cooking and serving instructions.

Herb Sauce

From “The TV Companion Cookbook 2014” by America’s Test Kitchen

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

6 cornichons, minced

2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

1 tablespoon minced fennel fronds

2 tablespoons minced shallot

2 teaspoons whole-grain mustard

1 teaspoon minced fresh marjoram

1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest plus 2 tablespoons juice

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Whisk all ingredients together in bowl. Let stand for 15 minutes before serving.