Sherried Chicken

Sense of Home

I had taken a whole chicken out of the freezer and as it sat thawing in my refrigerator for a couple days I thought about what I wanted to make with it.  Would it be Chicken Tagine with Apricots, Roast Chicken with Lemon and Thyme, or Garlic Roasted Chicken and Vegetables?  I was really undecided until the last minute when I saw a 2008 Gourmet recipe for chicken Reisling that started me thinking about a chicken dish that I used to make often, it had sherry, Dijon mustard and cream, most of you probably make a version of this dish and it is always good.  Wanting to make a one pot meal with plenty of left overs for the week, I switched it up a little, with good results.  In the photo above the skin is removed, I remove it just before eating (unless it is very crisply fried), allowing the skin to add to the flavor of the dish and helping the chicken to stay moist.

The birds we have are locally raised and run about 2.5 to 3 pounds each, so they are not large birds, but they are just right for the two of us.  I think it is better to buy chickens whole and cut them up, they are cheaper that way, they taste better (the variety of pieces adds to the flavor of the dish), and you have the option to roast them whole or cut them into pieces, plus eating a variety of cuts provides a variety of nutrients (the dark meat contains more of some vitamins and minerals).  Here is a good video by Gourmet on how to cut up a whole chicken.  I sectioned the chicken into breasts, thighs, legs, wings and yes that is a neck there.  I leave the neck in the pot mainly to add flavor to the juices, however, there is a little meat around those bones if you are so inclined.  I lightly browned the chicken in a large pot, then took the pieces out and let them rest on a plate.

Next I caramelized a white onion, sauted minced garlic for a minute, placed the chicken back in the pot, added some sherry (which goes so well with chicken and cream), large pieces of carrot, and into the oven it went.  This is where the one pot meal goes awry.  I then chopped some potatoes and boiled them, once they were tender and drained I tossed a handful of Italian parsley, gave it a stir and just before serving I added the potatoes, some sour creme, and a splash of lemon to the chicken pot.

Sherried Chicken
~From the Sense of Home Kitchen inspired in part by a Gourmet, March 2008 recipe~
Serves 4

1 whole chicken (about 3 pounds), cut into 8 serving pieces
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 large white onion, thinly sliced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
3 large carrots, chopped in thirds diagonally
1/2 cup medium-dry sherry (not cooking sherry)
4 medium-sized red potatoes, peeled and cut to 1 1/2-inch cubes
2 tablespoons finely chopped Italian parsley
2/3 cup sour cream
Fresh lemon juice
Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Dry chicken pieces with a paper towel to prevent splatter when placing them in the oil.  Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper on both sides.  Heat oil and butter in a large oven-proof pot over medium-high heat.  Brown chicken in a single layer, turning once, doing so in batches if necessary.  Transfer to a plate, reserving 2 tablespoons fat.

Saute sliced onion over medium heat in the same pot using the reserved fat, until they begin to caramelize, add garlic and saute for one minute more.  Return chicken and collected juices to the pot and add carrots and sherry, simmer uncovered for 3 minutes.  Cover and place in preheated oven and braise for approximately 25 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and carrots are fork tender.

While chicken cooks boil potatoes in salted water until they are just tender.  Drain and return potatoes to the saucepan.  Add parsley and gently stir to coat.

Once chicken is cooked stir in sour cream and potatoes.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to taste.


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