Description
Chicken Marengo is a classic French dish featuring tender, bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs simmered in a rich tomato-based sauce with mushrooms, olives, green peppers, and aromatic seasonings. This rustic skillet-cooked recipe combines savory flavors and a hint of spice, resulting in a comforting and hearty meal perfect for family dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Seasonings
- 6–8 chicken thighs, bone-in, skin on
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
- Pinch of garlic powder
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
Vegetables and Sauce
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 medium onion, sliced
- 1 pound mushrooms, sliced
- ½ cup pitted black kalamata olives
- 1 green pepper, seeds removed and cut into strips
- One 14-ounce can chopped tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ½ cup white wine
- ½ cup chicken broth
- ½ tablespoon butter
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken: Wash the chicken pieces thoroughly and pat them dry with a paper towel to ensure proper browning.
- Season and dredge: Season the chicken with salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and garlic powder to your preference. Lightly dredge the pieces in all-purpose flour, shaking off any excess flour.
- Brown the chicken: Heat the vegetable oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces and brown them on both sides for about 3 minutes per side until they achieve a golden crust. Remove the chicken and set aside. You may need to brown in batches.
- Sauté vegetables: In the same pan, add the sliced mushrooms and onions, cooking over medium-low heat for 5 minutes until softened. Remove and set aside with the chicken.
- Deglaze the pan: Increase heat to medium-high and pour in the white wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits. Allow the wine to reduce for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add broth and sauce ingredients: Stir in the chicken broth, then add back the mushrooms and onions. Add the chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, green pepper strips, olives, and stir to combine. Let the mixture simmer for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Simmer the chicken: Return the browned chicken pieces to the pan. Cover and cook on medium-low heat for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 185°F (85°C).
- Final seasoning and finish: Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Turn off the heat and stir in the butter to enrich the sauce.
- Serve: Transfer the chicken and sauce to a serving platter and serve immediately while hot.
Notes
- Use bone-in, skin-on thighs for maximum flavor and tenderness.
- Browning the chicken in batches ensures even cooking and a golden crust without overcrowding the pan.
- White wine can be substituted with dry vermouth or additional chicken broth if preferred.
- The addition of butter at the end enriches the sauce and adds a silky finish.
- Internal temperature of 185°F ensures chicken is fully cooked yet juicy.
- This dish pairs wonderfully with crusty bread, rice, or mashed potatoes to soak up the flavorful sauce.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken thigh with sauce (approx. 200g)
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 480mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 10g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 32g
- Cholesterol: 110mg
