French cuisine · Meat & Kebab

Poulet Vallée d'Auge

Norman chicken braised in cider and Calvados, bound with mushrooms, apples and crème fraîche.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 1.2 kg chicken pieces
• 250 g mushrooms
• 2 tart apples
• 2 shallots
• 400 ml cider
• 4 cl Calvados
• 200 g crème fraîche
• 30 g butter
• 2 sprigs thyme
• Salt, pepper

Instructions

1. Pat the chicken pieces dry, season with salt and pepper; finely dice the shallots, quarter the mushrooms and cut the apples into thick wedges.
2. Fry the chicken pieces in the butter over medium heat for 8 min until golden brown all over, then remove.
3. Sweat the shallots in the frying fat for 3 min, deglaze with the Calvados and let it reduce almost completely, then top up with the cider.
4. Return the chicken and thyme to the pan and braise, covered, over gentle heat for 30 min until the meat comes away easily from the bone.
5. Add the mushrooms and apple wedges only for the last 10 min so the apples don't fall apart.
6. Stir in the crème fraîche, let the sauce reduce uncovered for 5 min until creamy, season with salt and pepper and serve hot.