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Poule au Pot (Chicken in a Pot) Recipe

by | Oct 20, 2024 | Recipes

Poached Chicken/Chicken in a Pot or as it is called in Italian Pollo Bollito is a much misunderstood meal. It was possibly created during the time of Henry the IV or Henri de Navarre who famously is quoted as “Si Dieu me prête vie, je ferai qu'il n'y aura point de laboureur en mon royaume qui n'ait les moyens d'avoir le dimanche une poule dans son pot!” (If God keeps me, I will make sure that no peasant in my realm will lack the means to have a chicken in the pot on Sunday!) We usually like Cooks Kitchen for the way they re-work recipes. This is one time that we disagree. It should not be tired boiled chicken. The vegetables are not over cooked or the stuffing a soggy mess when done in the traditional manner. That is NOT if it is done correctly, with the flap sewn or skewered and the whole pot is cooked slowly for about 1 1/2 hours to gently cook the chicken and the vegetables. All will be good, the chicken cooked perfectly when the vegetables are done. Serve this in the French style with the broth served first as a soup with pieces of the veal or salt pork (if you are using which we didn’t), then the chicken and vegetables. You can make rice separately or add potatoes. We did neither. Serve with a crusty bread or some croutons in the soup or even your favourite oyster crackers. Save the extra broth and freeze it. Normally a large bird is used 5-6 pounds/2.268-2.722kg -we used about 3 pound/1.361kg 1 large onion 2-3 cloves to stud the onion 2 large ribs celery, cut into 4 pieces 2 large carrots cut into thirds, widthwise 1-2 parsnips cut into thirds 1/4 head cauliflower (optional we had some in the fridge) head of garlic unpeeled 1 bay leaf 2 sprigs thyme 1/2 bunch parsley 5-6 peppercorns 5-6 juniper berries, crushed 2 teaspoons/10ml sea salt 3-4 pound/1.361-1.814kg chicken (if using the larger size double all other ingredients except salt) Stale piece of bread or a piece of aluminum foil 1-2 quarts/1-2 liters of water Stuffing: 1 cup/1oz/30g plain crouton 1 small stalk celery, minced 2 tablespoons minced onion 1/2 teaspoon dried sage 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper Chopped liver and giblets, if they come with the bird 1 egg, beaten 2 tablespoons/29g butter, melted 1/2 cup/125ml hot water (or enough to soften the mixture) Melt butter in a pan. Add water and bring to a boil. Add the croutons, celery, onion, sage, salt, pepper, giblets, and egg. Stir to combine. While letting it cool prepare the pot. In a large pot over medium heat add onion, celery, carrots, parsnips, bay leaf, thyme, parsley, peppercorns and juniper berries and garlic. Pour in the water. Let come to simmer. Spoon the stuffing loosely into the large cavity of the chicken. It will expand during cooking. Place the bread or foil into the opening covering the stuffing. Bring the flap of skin down covering the opening. Sew or skewer the skin securely shut. If sewing make sure to use a cooking or butcher’s twine. Lower the bird into the pot making sure the water covers the bird completely. If it does not add more water or a bit of white wine. Bring to a boil, then immediately turn down to a low simmer. Let simmer for 1-1/2 hours. If adding potatoes add them the last 15-20 minutes of the cooking time. The temperature at the thigh should register 160F/70C. Remove chicken from the broth to a cutting board. Let rest for 5-10 minutes. Remove the stuffing from the cavity. Lift the veggies out and arrange on a platter. Remove the skin from the chicken, carve and place on the platter with the vegetables.
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Poached Chicken/Chicken in a Pot or as it is called in Italian Pollo Bollito is a much misunderstood meal. It was possibly created during the time of Henry the IV or Henri de Navarre who famously is quoted as “Si Dieu me prête vie, je ferai qu’il n’y aura point de laboureur en mon royaume qui n’ait les moyens d’avoir le dimanche une poule dans son pot!” (If God keeps me, I will make sure that no peasant in my realm will lack the means to have a chicken in the pot on Sunday!)

We usually like Cooks Kitchen for the way they re-work recipes. This is one time that we disagree. It should not be tired boiled chicken. The vegetables are not over cooked or the stuffing a soggy mess when done in the traditional manner. That is NOT if it is done correctly, with the flap sewn or skewered and the whole pot is cooked slowly for about 1 1/2 hours to gently cook the chicken and the vegetables. All will be good, the chicken cooked perfectly when the vegetables are done. Serve this in the French style with the broth served first as a soup with pieces of the veal or salt pork (if you are using which we didn’t), then the chicken and vegetables.

You can make rice separately or add potatoes. We did neither. Serve with a crusty bread or some croutons in the soup or even your favourite oyster crackers. Save the extra broth and freeze it.

Normally a large bird is used 5-6 pounds/2.268-2.722kg -we used about 3 pound/1.361kg

1 large onion
2-3 cloves to stud the onion
2 large ribs celery, cut into 4 pieces
2 large carrots cut into thirds, widthwise
1-2 parsnips cut into thirds
1/4 head cauliflower (optional we had some in the fridge)
head of garlic unpeeled
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs thyme
1/2 bunch parsley
5-6 peppercorns
5-6 juniper berries, crushed
2 teaspoons/10ml sea salt
3-4 pound/1.361-1.814kg chicken (if using the larger size double all other ingredients except salt)
Stale piece of bread or a piece of aluminum foil
1-2 quarts/1-2 liters of water

Stuffing:
1 cup/1oz/30g plain crouton
1 small stalk celery, minced
2 tablespoons minced onion
1/2 teaspoon dried sage
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Chopped liver and giblets, if they come with the bird
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons/29g butter, melted
1/2 cup/125ml hot water (or enough to soften the mixture)

Melt butter in a pan. Add water and bring to a boil. Add the croutons, celery, onion, sage, salt, pepper, giblets, and egg. Stir to combine. While letting it cool prepare the pot.

In a large pot over medium heat add onion, celery, carrots, parsnips, bay leaf, thyme, parsley, peppercorns and juniper berries and garlic. Pour in the water. Let come to simmer.

Spoon the stuffing loosely into the large cavity of the chicken. It will expand during cooking. Place the bread or foil into the opening covering the stuffing. Bring the flap of skin down covering the opening. Sew or skewer the skin securely shut. If sewing make sure to use a cooking or butcher’s twine. Lower the bird into the pot making sure the water covers the bird completely. If it does not add more water or a bit of white wine. Bring to a boil, then immediately turn down to a low simmer. Let simmer for 1-1/2 hours. If adding potatoes add them the last 15-20 minutes of the cooking time. The temperature at the thigh should register 160F/70C. Remove chicken from the broth to a cutting board. Let rest for 5-10 minutes. Remove the stuffing from the cavity. Lift the veggies out and arrange on a platter. Remove the skin from the chicken, carve and place on the platter with the vegetables.

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