Chicken in Red Wine Vinegar

Filed in archive Recipes on February 18, 2008

Chicken in Red Wine Vinegar, or Poulet au Vinaigre, is packed with intensely satisfying flavors. This recipe is a French bistro classic that I make over and over again and never get tired of.
It comes from a cookbook I've had for years, Bistro Cooking, by Patricia Wells. Although published almost 20 years ago, this book has withstood the test of time in my kitchen.

Many dish's flavors are enhanced by resting overnight and Poulet au Vinaigre is definitely one of them. Serve it with a crisp green salad and some potatoes, preferably a Gratin Dauphinois. The creamy potatoes are a perfect match to the tangy vinegar and tomato sauce that coats the chicken.




The recipe's original title is La Volaille au Vinaigre de Vin Bistro d'à Côté. Hopefully Ms. Wells won't mind that I've adapted the recipe a bit.

Chicken in Red Wine Vinegar - Poulet au Vinaigre
serves 4-6

4 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 3-4 pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces
1 cup good quality red wine vinegar
1 cup chicken stock
2 medium, ripe tomatoes - peeled, cored, seeded and chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper
a handful of minced fresh parsley

Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
In a large skillet with a lid, heat the oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter over medium-high heat.
When the oil and butter are hot, but not smoking, brown the chicken in batches until the skin turns an even, golden brown. Turn over and brown the other side. Each side should take about 5 minutes.
When all the chicken has been browned, remove it and carefully pour out the cooking fat.
Return the chicken to the skillet and very slowly add the red wine vinegar. Watch out! The fumes can be quite intense!
Reduce vinegar by about half, turning chicken periodically to coat it, about 10 minutes.
Add tomatoes and chicken stock, cover and simmer gently over medium-low heat until the flavors have mingled and the chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes.
If making the dish ahead of time, as recommended for maximum flavor, stop at this point.
Remove chicken from sauce and keep warm. If re-heating, heat the chicken through in the sauce then remove to a warmed dish while you finish the sauce.
Remove pan from heat and whisk in the remaining 3 tablespoons butter, creating a rich, glossy sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Pour over the chicken and sprinkle with the parsley.
Serve!