Napoleon’s Chicken Marengo

Pan seared chicken with an herb, garlic, and shallot sauce

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City/Region: France

Time Period: 1869

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Napoleon preferred simple foods, especially chicken. This dish was one of his favorites and is named after the Battle of Marengo on June 14, 1800, in which Napoleon turned a near defeat into a victory and thus cemented his control of Italy.

This dish is so wonderful and has such a complex flavor, even though I was able to cook it in under an hour with simple ingredients. You can use this style of preparation for any meat that you want if you don’t like chicken or you want to change things up.

“Prepare the chicken as for fricassee; Put a deciliter of oil in the sauté pan: Add the pieces of chicken so they do not overlap one another; Add: 3 pinches of salt, 2 pinches of pepper, 2 shallots whole, 1 whole clove garlic, 1 bay leaf, a sprig of thyme, 1 bunch of parsley; Fry for 25 minutes, till the chicken is done: Place the chicken on a platter and keep warm; Put 40 grams of flour in the sauté pan, mix together and heat for 4 minutes, and add 5 deciliters of broth; Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring with the wooden spoon; Pass the sauce through the so-called Chinese strainer: Dress the chicken as for Chicken Fricassee; Pour over the sauce and serve…Mushrooms may be added as a garnish.”

— Le Livre de Cuisine by Jules Gouffé, 1869

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Ingredients:

• Chicken, whatever cuts you like, I used 4 drumsticks and 4 thighs
• 3.5 oz (100 ml) olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2 shallots, peeled but left whole
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 bay leaf
• A sprig of thyme
• A bunch of parsley
• 1/3 cup (40 g) flour
• 2 cups (500 ml) beef broth
• Mushrooms, optional

Instructions:

1. Heat the oil in a large pan over medium high heat. Add the chicken, making sure that the pieces don’t overlap, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add the shallots, garlic, bay leaf, parsley, and thyme, then set the lid on the pan and let it fry for 10 minutes.
2. After 10 minutes, turn the chicken over, then cover again and cook for another 10 minutes.
3. Turn the chicken one last time, cover, and cook for 5 more minutes.
4. When the chicken is cooked, remove it to a plate and cover it so it stays warm. Remove the shallots and larger pieces of herbs. Keep them nearby because we’ll be adding them back in just a second.
5. Stir the flour into the hot oil to make a roux. Continue to cook and stir for a couple of minutes, then add the herbs and shallots back in. Cook for another couple of minutes or until the roux is golden brown.
6. Add the beef broth and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any brown bits that stay stuck to the bottom of the pan. Bring it to a simmer, then stir constantly for 10 minutes.
7. Strain the sauce through a conical strainer (or a plain mesh strainer if that’s what you have). If the sauce splits, add a couple tablespoons of water, set it over low heat, and stir until you have a nice smooth sauce again.
8. If you’re using the mushrooms, sauté them in a bit of oil until they’re cooked.
9. Arrange the chicken in a dish, pour the sauce over it, garnish with the mushrooms, and serve it forth. For extra authenticity, forgo the utensils and eat with your hands as the Emperor did, and remember to use your uniform to clean up with, not a napkin.

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