Chicken Gratinee

I saw this recipe on Food 52 and the idea of whole chicken pieces done in a gratinee really intriqued me.  It sounded fabulous and looked delicious.  I am a sucker for a Gratinee.  It sings to my heart every time.  I have had plenty of gratinee vegetables in  my time, and a few casseroles, but never whole pieces of chicken done this way!



The original recipe called for a whole chicken cut up.  I had chicken legs and to be honest, they worked perfectly and in fact were probably best suited to this dish as they were all cooked in the same amount of time . . .  no breasts to dry out in the extra cooking time that legs would take to cook in.  Perfect.

 

The chicken pieces were tender and moist  . . .  perfectly cooked and flavoured  . . .  and that custard . . .  sublimely rich . . .  the crisp buttery crumbs . . .  sigh  . . .



 Altogether this dish was really gorgeous and so simple to make.  I will be making it again, for company next time, because it is delicious enough for company . . .  I  might double the recipe for company  however, as they will most certainly be wanting seconds!  I served it simply with some boiled new potatoes and green beans.

*Chicken Gratinee*

Serves 4

Printable Recipe   

 This is so good.  Tender chicken with a delicious custard.  Simple to make and impossible to resist.  Adapted from a recipe by Richard Olney, Simple French Food.  

4 large chicken legs, skin on, bone in

2 TBS butter

a handful of crumbled stale bread

(I used a stale sour dough loaf)

80ml white wine (1/3 cup)

For the custard:

180ml double cream (3/4 cup)

3 large free range egg yolks

salt and black pepper to taste

85g of grated Gruyere cheese (3 ounces)

the juice of half lemon

(You will also need the white wine from step one once it has

deglazed the pan) 

 

Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6.  Have ready a shallow casserole dish large enough to fit all the chicken legs in it snugly.

Salt the chicken legs.  Melt the butter in a large skillet.  Brown the chicken legs in the butter on all sides, turning them from time to time, about 20 minutes.  Place them into the casserole dish. Add the bread crumbs to the skillet and brown them slightly, crisping them up.  Remove them from the pan and set aside.  Add the white wine to the pan.  Bring to the boil, scraping up any bits in the pan, and cooking until the wine has reduced by half. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.

Whisk together the cream and egg yolks, along with the lemon juice and deglazing liquid.  Stir in the cheese and then season with some salt and black pepper.  Pour this mixture evenly over the chicken legs.  Sprinkle the bread crumbs over top evenly.   Bake in the heated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until nicely browned and the custard is set.  Serve hot.  Delicious!