Poule Au Pot (Chicken in a pot)
Literally named “Chicken in a Pot”, Poule Au Pot is a traditional Sunday dinner in France. This rustic yet healthy dish consists of a whole chicken cooked with vegetables in a flavorful broth (no store-bought stock needed!). For such a simple recipe, the result is an incredibly flavorful dish, with fall-off-the-bone chicken guaranteed every time! The Poule au Pot is a specialty hailing from the Southern French Pyrénées mountains – although it is largely embraced throughout the entire country. Alongside Beef Bourguignon and Coq au Vin, it is one of…
- Prep time
- 10 min
- Cook time
- 2 hr 30 min
- Yield
- 6 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 1 whole chicken (1.75kg/4lbs)
- 1 whole onion, peeled and poked with 5 cloves (spice)
- 3 whole garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 leek, cut into 3 pieces
- 1 celery branch, cut into 3 pieces
- 3-4 carrots, peeled and cut in half
- 4 turnips, cut in half
- 1 tsp whole black peppercorns
- 5 sprigs of thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt, freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- 1
Step 1 - One hour before cooking, remove the chicken from the fridge and place it on the countertop, to allow it to lose its chill.
- 2
Step 2 - Prepare your vegetables. Take your onion and poke 5 cloves (spice) into its flesh, using the sharp end of the clove. Peel and cut the remaining vegetables as described in the ingredient list. Put aside.
- 3
Step 3 - Place the chicken into a pot that is large enough to contain the chicken, and later, all the additional vegetables, plus a good amount of water.
- 4
Step 4 - Fill the pot with enough water to the point that the top of the chicken's breast is covered with water. Turn heat to high and bring to a boil. Once the water starts simmering, you should notice some yellowish/brown foam rising to the top of the pot. Using a spoon or ladle, skim this foam and dispose of it. When the pot comes to a boil, lower the heat to medium, add the vegetables, herbs and spices. Turn the heat back up to high to re-boil the water.
- 5
Step 5 - Continue to skim any foam that may appear. The foam will stop forming after a few minutes. Once the entire pot comes back to a boil, lower the heat to medium-low, cover with a lid, and simmer for 2 hours and 30 minutes, undisturbed.
- 6
Step 6 - After this time mark, taste the broth and adjust seasoning (salt, pepper) if needed. The chicken should now be fully tender and seemingly falling apart. Turn off your stove and carefully remove the chicken from the pot onto a plate. Allow to cool for 10-15 minutes.
- 7
Step 7 - Once slightly cooled, cut the chicken into pieces (or shred) and transfer into serving plates. Place a few vegetables around and pour broth over.
- 8
Enjoy as is, over top of cooked white rice and/or with fresh country bread.