Chicken in White Wine Served Over Pappardelle Pasta

The wine world is in-depth and always changing. Learning to find what your palate savors is a continual learning experience, shaped and hone through practice, practice, practice and BOY what FUN! I am finding that cooking with wines and other spirits is an eye-opening experience. My cooking hero, Julia Child, delved into this world with relish and enthusiasm. I have tried her braised pearl onions in a wine sauce and let me tell you . . . OMGoodness, close your eyes and savor . . . Delicious! Now put those wine braised onions in Julia's boeuf bourguignon and the flavors just intertwine and scream breath-taking delicious. One of those meals where sitting at the table and enjoying every bite is the only place to be.

With that said, this recipe for chicken in a white wine sauce is cooked in an un-oaked Chardonnay from the Washington Columbia Winery. The grapes in the wine came from Yakima, WA. The recipe was created for this wine but any good Chardonnay with little to know oak flavor will work perfectly, the label on some Chardonnays will inform the reader on the nuances of the wine.Chicken in White Wine Served Over Pappardelle Pasta

Ingredients:

1 3.5 - 4 pound whole chicken, washed, patted dry and cut into portions (or I will use chicken thighs and legs instead)
4 shallots, peeled and diced
8 oz. white mushrooms, washed, dried, and sliced
6 T. unsalted butter
1 bottle dry white wine, preferably Columbia Winery Chardonnay
1 t. French mustard
1 Garni Bouquet (1 bay leaf/1 sprig thyme, 2 sprigs rosemary/8 sprigs parsley)
1 T. Extra virgin olive oil
1 1/4 c. heavy cream
4 slices bacon, cut into matchsticks
2 T. cognac
3 cloves garlic
1 bunch parsley, chopped
1 bunch chives, chopped
4 pinches freshly grated nutmeg
1 t. sugar
1 c. flour, for dredging

Directions:

Dredge chicken pieces in flour, shaking off excess. Heat the butter in a 5 quart pot. Add bacon and cook until crisp. Remove bacon and set aside, saving the grease. If oil is needed, add EVOO. Add shallots, cook until translucent, then add mushrooms and cook until soft; add some white wine and cook 1 minute, remove mushrooms and set aside. In the same pan, cook the chicken pieces on all sides until golden but not brown, Moisten with 3 - 4 tablespoons white wine. When evaporated, add another 3 - 4 tablespoons of white wine. Continue cooking in this manner, over simmering heat, for 40 minutes, turning chicken as needed. If necessary, add warm chicken stock to keep moist.

After 40 minutes, sprinkle with cognac, ignite and shake the pot gently until flames subside.

Remove the chicken.

Pour in balance of white wine and stir in Garni Bouquet, garlic, nutmeg, sugar, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil. Reduce sauce by one half by open boiling.

Mix mustard with the cream and pour into the sauce, stirring well. Add mushroom mixture and re-add the chicken portions, adjust seasonings. Bring to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes, adding warm chicken stock as needed to prevent burning.

In the meantime, start your water for the pasta, following the directions on the pasta package.

Remove the cooked chicken pieces from the pot and arrange on a serving platter. Remove Garni Bouquet and let the sauce boil over high heat for 2 minutes, or until thickened. Pour sauce over chicken and Pappardelle pasta; serve with chopped parsley and chives.