Hairy Bikers Chicken Chasseur Recipe

“Throw away those jars of instant chasseur sauce and discover the real thing” is how the Mums Still Know Best cookbook opens this Hairy Bikers chicken chasseur. Eight skin-on thighs, 300ml of white wine, mushrooms, and banana shallots do the rest, serving 4 at around 620 kcal in under an hour.

Chasseur means hunter in French, and the idea is that a hunter would cook whatever he foraged in the woods: mushrooms, herbs, and wine. This version sticks to that tradition with chestnut mushrooms, fresh thyme, bay leaves, and a good glug of dry white.

Dusting the thighs in seasoned flour before browning does two jobs at once. It gives the skin a golden crust in the pan, and that flour dissolves into the wine as it simmers, so the sauce thickens on its own without needing cornflour at the end.

Hairy Bikers Chicken Chasseur Recipe

Author: Alex Saidani Cooking Method:Braising Cuisine:British French Courses:Dinner

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 15 minutesCook time: 45 minutesRest time: minutesTotal time:1 hour Servings:4 servingsCalories:620 kcal Best Season:Winter

Description

Skin-on thighs dusted in flour and browned, then braised uncovered in white wine and stock with fried banana shallots, mushrooms, and herbs. The sauce reduces to a glossy finish on its own.

Ingredients

For the chicken

• 3 tbsp plain flour
• 8 chicken thighs, skin on
• 3 tbsp mild olive oil or sunflower oil
• Sea salt flakes
• Freshly ground black pepper

For the sauce

• 3 banana shallots, finely chopped
• 3 banana shallots, quartered lengthways
• 3 to 4 sprigs of fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 300ml dry white wine
• 500ml chicken stock
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 150g chestnut mushrooms, wiped and halved

Instructions

1. Flour the chicken: Put the flour in a large freezer bag and season well with salt and pepper. Drop the thighs in 4 at a time and shake until lightly coated all over.
2. Brown the thighs: Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large non-stick frying pan. Place the thighs skin-side down and cook over a medium-high heat for 4 to 5 minutes until golden, then flip and cook for 2 minutes more. Transfer to a large flameproof casserole dish.
3. Fry the shallots: Using the same pan, heat a second tablespoon of oil and add all the shallots, the thyme, and the bay leaves. Fry over a medium heat for 5 minutes until soft, then add the garlic and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes.
4. Build the braise: Tip the shallots and herbs into the casserole with the chicken. Pour over the wine and bring to the boil, then add the stock, tomato purée, and plenty of seasoning. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for 20 minutes, skimming off any fat that rises.
5. Fry the mushrooms: Wipe out the frying pan, place over a high heat, add the last tablespoon of oil, and fry the mushrooms for 2 to 3 minutes until lightly browned.
6. Finish: Stir the mushrooms into the casserole and cook for a further 15 minutes until the chicken is tender and the sauce coats the back of a spoon. Check the seasoning and serve.

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FAQs

Can I use chicken breasts instead of thighs?

You can, but breasts dry out faster because they have less fat to protect them during the 35 minutes of uncovered simmering. Thighs stay juicy and the skin gives the sauce more body as it renders down.

If you do swap, cut the total simmer time to about 20 minutes and check they are cooked through before serving. The sauce will be thinner too, so you may need a pinch more flour to make up the difference.

Can I make this chicken chasseur in a slow cooker?

Yes, but brown the thighs and fry the shallots on the hob first, because without that seared crust the whole dish tastes flat. Once browned, transfer everything to the slow cooker with the wine, stock, and tomato purée.

Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or high for 3 to 4. Add the mushrooms in the last hour so they hold their shape, and stir in a teaspoon of cornflour mixed with water at the end if the sauce needs thickening.

Why does the recipe use banana shallots?

Because the recipe splits them two ways: three get chopped fine so they melt into the sauce, while three get quartered lengthways so they hold their shape and give you something to bite into. That mix of soft and firm is what keeps the dish interesting.

Regular shallots or small onions work too. The chicken and leek pie on this site builds its filling from the same white wine and chicken stock base, so if you enjoy this French sauce approach it makes a good next recipe.

Is this the same as hunter’s chicken?

No. In British pubs, hunter’s chicken means a breast wrapped in bacon, smothered in BBQ sauce, and covered in melted cheese. This French chasseur is a completely different dish with skin-on thighs braised in wine, mushrooms, and herbs.

The name comes from the French word for hunter, and the idea is that these are ingredients you could gather in the woods. The Lancashire hotpot takes a similar one-pot approach with lamb and thyme under overlapping potato slices, so it makes a good British contrast to this French classic.

What should I serve alongside?

Buttery mash is the classic because it catches every drop of the wine sauce. Crusty bread works too if you want less washing up. A cauliflower cheese baked golden brings a British side that sits well next to the French sauce, since both recipes use bay leaves and butter in their base.

Steamed green beans or broccoli are all you need on the side. The sauce is rich enough to carry the whole plate on its own.