Name: Hunter's Chicken (Poulet Chasseur)
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 6 Chicken Legs; Salt, pepper and Herbs de Provence, to taste; 1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil; 1 large shallot, minced; 15 cremini mushrooms, medium sized, quartered (about 8 ounces); ½ cup (120 ml) dry white wine (Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, etc); ¼ cup (60 ml) cognac; 2 cups (480 ml) chicken broth; 3 tablespoons (45 ml) tomato paste; 1 clove garlic, minced; ¼ teaspoon (1.25 ml) Dijon mustard; 2 tablespoons (30 ml) very cold water; 2 tablespoons (20 g) cornstarch; 1 tablespoon (14 g) butter; 1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh parsley, chopped; 1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh tarragon, chopped

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Hunter’s Chicken, also known in France as Poulet Chasseur, is a delicious Sunday night dinner idea. It combines tender, juicy chicken in a velvety sauce, flavorful mushrooms, caramelized shallots and fresh herbs.

Poulet Chasseur gets its name from the hunters or Les Chasseurs who, returning from the hunt, would collect wild mushrooms and herbs to put in their stew with whatever they had hunted that day. Today, we typically don’t see wild game used in this recipe, but it’s been swapped for the more accessible choice of chicken. The Italians also have a version of Hunter’s Chicken called Chicken Cacciatore.

This recipe allows you to multitask by giving the chicken a quick sear and then roasting it in the oven. This allows you to prepare the sauce at the same time while delivering crispy skin on your chicken. Serve this recipe with my sour cream mashed potatoes, wild rice, parmesan rosemary polenta, or buttered noodles for the ultimate cold-weather comfort food.

Hunters Chicken in a staub braiser granished with sauce, cooked mushrooms and herbs. — Make the sauce in an oven-to-table braiser for an easy presentation.

The Ingredients:

Chicken Legs: I prefer dark meat for this recipe because it withstands the heat of searing and roasting without drying out.
Salt, Freshly Cracked Pepper, Herbs de Provence I use this combination to season the chicken before searing it. Everything can be “to taste”.
Shallots: are sweeter and bit more flavorful than onion, but you could swap for yellow or white onion if needed.
Mushrooms: I use medium-sized cremini mushrooms and then quarter them, but you can also use white button mushrooms.
White Wine: A dry Chardonnay is the best choice, but a Sauvignon blanc will also work if needed.
Cognac: Is a traditional part of this recipe for the flavor and slight sweetness it provides to the sauce, but only if you have it on hand. No need to run out and buy a $40 bottle of cognac if you don’t have it! It will still be good with just the wine.
Chicken Broth: Will form the base of the sauce. If health reasons are not a concern, don’t buy the low-sodium chicken broth, you’ll get more flavor from the regular chicken broth.
Tomato Paste: Diced tomatoes or fresh tomatoes are traditionally used in Hunter’s Chicken, but I find they make the sauce too acidic and runny. I prefer the sweeter and more concentrated tomato flavor of tomato paste. If you have a choice look for the Mutti Brand of Double Concentrated Tomato Paste, I think it provides the best flavor.
Garlic: I use just one clove, but you can add more if you like.
Dijon Mustard: I use just a dollop to create a deeper flavor to the sauce.
Chicken drippings/juice: Depending on the size of your chicken legs, you may have more or less juice and drippings. It’s wonderful to add this to your sauce for additional flavor.
Cornstarch Slurry: Combines an equal amount of cornstarch and water. I use 2 tablespoons of each. But make sure that the water used to mix the slurry is very cold and that your sauce is boiling when you add it; otherwise, the slurry will not activate and do its job of thickening.
Butter: A pat of unsalted butter added to the sauce is a common “French trick” to create a smooth and velvety finish. Trust me, it’s worth the calories!
Fresh Tarragon: Roughly chopped adds a beautiful anise flavor to the sauce, making it feel a bit fancy and gourmet.
Fresh Parsley: I also add freshly chopped parsley for a nice fresh finish.

A plate of raw chicken legs with diced shallots, mushrooms and garlic along with a bottle of white wine and cognac. — Chicken legs work best for this recipe since they hold up to the heat of searing and roasting without drying out.

How-To Make the Hunter’s Chicken Sauce:

This sauce is best made in stages to deepen its flavor.
The first step is to sear the chicken legs, in a braiser, to create a layer of flavor in the bottom of the pan. This will become the base for your sauce. At this stage it’s not necessary to cook the chicken through, you’ll do that in the oven. Roasting the chicken will also create crispy skin on your chicken.
The next stage is to sautee the shallots in the chicken fat until they are tender and fragrant, then add the mushrooms. Sauteeing the vegetables separately allows each one to cook at their own rate. Cook the mushrooms until they release their juices and become tender and dark in color.
Then add the wine and the cognac, cooking it down until reduced. This will cook off the alcohol, allowing the flavor to remain.
The next stage is to add the chicken broth, tomato paste, Dijon mustard and garlic to deepen the flavor.
Once the chicken is cooked through, add any juice or pan drippings to the sauce.
Then, thicken the sauce with a cornstarch slurry (equal parts cold water and cornstarch). I use two tablespoons of each.
Once the sauce is thickened, add a pat of butter for a smooth, velvety finish and then whisk in the fresh herbs.

Roasting the chicken in the oven and adding them to the sauce later keeps the skin crispy. — Adding the chicken drippings from the pan to the sauce creates a deeply flavorful sauce.

Serving and Storing Leftovers

I like to serve this recipe “oven-to-table” in the braiser.
The braiser also makes it easier to store the leftovers, since you can simply pop the lid on and place it in the refrigerator after it’s cooled.
To reheat, place the covered braiser in a 350F(180C) oven for 20-25 minutes or until the chicken is warmed through.