Chicken Marengo: A Classic French Dish, Napoleon’s Favorite Chicken

Aromatics & Vegetables

• 1 large onion, diced
• 8 oz sliced mushrooms
• 1 tbsp chopped garlic (or 2 or 3 teaspoons, who's counting?)
• 1 tsp fresh thyme chopped

Chicken & Seasoning

• 5 lb chicken (1 whole chicken cut into 6–8 pieces, skin removed if preferred)
• salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Seasoned flour (for dredging)

Liquids & Braising Base

• 2 cups dry white wine (don’t drink it all—save some for the pan!) wine you enjoy drinking only - NO cooking wines!
• 18 - 20 oz peeled and chopped San Marzano tomatoes
• 1 cup chicken stock (start with one, add more if needed)
• 1 bay leaf

 Finishing Touches

• zest of 1 lemon
• chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
• black olives (if Jack’s not around!) Optional

Sauté the Vegetables

1. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, sauté the diced onion in a little olive oil until translucent and slightly golden.
2. Add the sliced mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Cook until they release most of their moisture and begin to brown.

Brown the Chicken

1. While the vegetables are cooking, dredge the chicken pieces in seasoned flour.
2. In a separate skillet, sear the chicken over medium-high heat until golden brown on both sides. (No skin if you're braising!)
3. Once browned, remove the chicken and set it aside.

Build the Braising Sauce

1. Return to the vegetable skillet. Add the garlic and cook just until fragrant.
2. Stir in the thyme and deglaze with the white wine.
3. Let the wine reduce completely—it should lose its sharp acidity. Taste test with a spoon; if it still bites, keep reducing.

Add Tomatoes & Stock

1. Once the wine is fully reduced, stir in the chopped San Marzano tomatoes, chicken stock, and the bay leaf.
2. Important: Do not add these before the wine has reduced—you’ll lose that beautiful concentrated flavor.

Simmer with Chicken

1. Nestle the browned chicken pieces into the sauce. Don’t stress about the arrangement—this isn’t a magazine shoot!
2. Cover the skillet with a lid, reduce heat to very low, and simmer gently until the internal temp hits 165°F—about 35–40 minutes.
3. Check the chicken: if the breast pieces cook faster, remove them and let the legs cook a bit longer.

Thicken the Sauce (Optional)

1. Near the end of cooking, remove the lid and let the sauce reduce slightly.
2. If it’s not thick enough (and the dredged flour didn’t do the job), add a teaspoon of cornstarch mixed with water.

Add Finishing Touches

1. Stir in the zest of 1 lemon—this is the flavor bomb, don’t skip it!
2. Sprinkle in chopped parsley and toss in some black olives if you’re feeling fancy.

Serve with Your Favorite Side

1. Chicken Marengo pairs beautifully with polenta, rice, mashed potatoes, or even fresh pasta. Choose your favorite cozy base and let the sauce do the talking!