When I first started to teach myself to cook, many moons ago, The Silver Palate cookbook was my bible. Julee and Sheila were my gurus. I relied on them to guide me in the kitchen. One of my go-to recipes in their first book was Chicken Dijonnaise. It was elegant and easy to prep, even on a work night. Years and many recipes later, I’ve added my own spin to this dish. The mustard sauce is rich and tangy and the yukon gold potatoes mashed with celery root provide the perfect complement…Bon Appetit!
Chicken Dijonnaise My Way
To feed four people, choose a 3 1/2 pound to 4 pound bird that’s cut into eight pieces. For easy portions, I like to cut the breasts in half as well–a good whack with a butcher knife should do the trick. As in most chicken recipes, I like to begin by brining my chicken. Fill a large bowl about 2/3 full with cold water, add 1/2 cup of kosher salt and a few tablespoons of sugar. Add the chicken pieces and let soak overnight, for a few hours if possible, or even just 20 minutes will do. Rinse the chicken, pat dry, and season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Heat a large casserole or wide dutch oven over medium heat. Add one tablespoon each of butter and olive oil, and place chicken pieces skin side down in pan once butter foam subsides.
Sear chicken until golden brown, about 5 to 10 minutes. Turn chicken over, add 2 large chopped shallots to pan, and pour 1/3 cup white wine over all. Mix together 1/2 cup each of Dijon mustard and coarse grain mustard and spread on top of the seared chicken pieces. Cover the pan and place in oven to braise for 20 minutes.
Remove the casserole from the oven and test the dark meat with an instant read thermometer–it should read 160 degrees. Remove the chicken from the pan, using a silicone spatula or basting brush to scrape the mustard coating off each piece back into the sauce. Bring the sauce back to a boil and whisk in 1/2 cup creme fraiche or heavy cream. Let it simmer for several minutes until cream is incorporated and emulsified. Add 2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon and kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning, as needed.
Serves 4:
3 1/2 to 4 pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces
1/2 cup kosher salt
2 to 3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 large shallots, chopped
1/3 cup white wine
1/2 cup dijon mustard
1/2 cup coarse grain mustard
1/2 cup creme fraiche or heavy cream
2 tablespoons chopped tarragon
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Yukon Gold and Celeriac Mash
Celeriac, aka celery root, is one butt-ugly root vegetable. You need to do a lot of trimming to get down to the heart of the matter. But it adds such an unusual flavor and lightness to the mashed potatoes–you’ll wonder why you never tried it before.
Start by peeling and dicing 4 large Yukon Gold potatoes (about 2 pounds) and place in a large saucepan. Trim 1 large celery root, dice and add to the pot. Cover all with water, add a couple tablespoons of kosher salt, and bring to a boil. Turn down to a rolling boil and cook another 10 to 15 minutes, or until a chunk of potato easily slides off a knife when pierced. Drain well.
Mash potatoes and celery root using a potato ricer or food mill. Warm 1 cup milk and 1 tablespoon butter over low heat until just heated through. Slowly add to potato mixture until incorporated and creamy. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Serve a heaping mound of potato celeriac mash on each plate, and top with chicken pieces. Lap over plenty of the Dijonnaise sauce–delicieux!
Serves 4:
4 large Yukon Gold potatoes, about 2 pounds
1 large celery root
kosher salt
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
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