# Oh No, Not Another Chicken Dish!!



## TATTRAT (Sep 29, 2012)

I am so Chicken'd out, no more! Monday, is beef. No ifs, ands, or chicken butts about it. . . 

This WAS to be a braised dish, BUT, my rondeau has gone missing, so everything ended up being stewed, no big whoop, it was still good, and I was pleased with spreading a $4 chicken into 4 nights of meals!

SO here we go. . .

*TATTRAT Braised Chicken w/ Whipped potatoes *

It's rich, and very flavorful, but also light enough to where paired with the spuds, it's not gonna weigh you down like crazy.
I love dishes like this, now that it's getting cooler at night, the days shorter, it's just the kinda stick to your ribs meal that gets you happy on the inside.

*AND ON TO THE DISH:*

*What you will need:*







*-FOR THE BIRD-*
-1 Chicken, or precut/8cut chicken
-6 Cloves Garlic, crushed
-1 Onion
-2 Potatoes, peeled and sliced for the "stew"
-4 Carrots, peeled and cut into uniform shapes
-1/4 Bag of frozen peas
-1 Bottle of Wine, Cook with what you would drink. Please, don't use "cooking wine" as it is loaded with sodium. You also don't have to spend $30 on the bottle either, just use your brain.
-2 Cans of Chicken Stock(Low Sodium)
-Dried Rosemary
-Dried Thyme
-4 Bay leaves(depending on size)
-1 Tablespoon of Sweet Paprika

*-For the Whipped Potatoes-*
-Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced
-Butter, I cook with unsalted
-Reserved Chicken Stock
-Whole Milk

*COOKING VESSEL:* 

Again, I use my "Go to", "One Size Fits All" large sauté pan. use this to Brown off the chicken before putting into the larger vessel for stewing down.






Again, with the soup pot/stock pot. Not having a Rondeau, this will work in a pinch.






*PREP: *

Quarter chicken and get it marinated. I tend to do 24 hours, and MAKE SURE to season both the skin, and meat side. Be generous with it.


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## TATTRAT (Sep 29, 2012)

*Part II*

Prepare the vegetables uniformly so that they will cook easily, it's not that hard. The rest of this is just searing the bird, and after that, it's pretty easy breezy, set it and forget it type cooking.











PO TA TOES


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## TATTRAT (Sep 30, 2012)

*Part iii*

*READY TO GO!*

Firstly, you are going to want to dredge the bird in seasoned flour. I used Sweet Paprika, salt, white pepper, and that's about it. Dredge and brown the bird.



**NOTE**
_Make sure the oil is HOT, make sure it is "shimmering", if not the flour is going to hit the oil, and just turn to paste that will not result in a nice crust that will help build the sauce for this dish._
















While searing, have the rondeau, or stockpot going over medium heat. Add butter, and let it brown just a little bit, it's good and adds a little nuttiness to the base for the sauce building.


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## TATTRAT (Sep 30, 2012)

*Part IV*

Add in ONE Chopped onion, add in the DRY Spices(Rosemary, and Thyme, and Bay Leaves), stir to mix and start getting a little color on them. 






After the chicken pieces are browned, just go RIGHT in on top of that bed of onions and garlic you have built.

Once the chicken is all browned, and everyone is in the party (in a single layer if possible), add about HALF of that bottle of wine that you have selected. Let the wine come up about half way on the bird, and let it come to a rolling boil. You want to reduce the wine by half, mellowing it out a bit while intensifying those flavors. 






Once things have come down a bit, go ahead and add enough chicken stock to cover the bird, but leave a LITTLE (like half a cup) for your mashed 'taters.  Cover, and let come to a simmer, watching the heat carefully. Once things are up to temp, let the bird ride alone before adding the other members to the party. .  .after about 10-15min, add the potatoes. Now, let this keep on doing its thing, occasionally giving it a stir to make sure it isn't burning on the bottom (there is NO reason it should be if you've followed the rules). Let it do its thing, and start to reduce down, creating your sauce.






Once things are about 10-15 min from being done COMPLETELY, add in the carrots. At the VERY LAST MIN, add in the peas.

After things have simmered, potatoes are getting fork tender, and carrots just in


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## TATTRAT (Sep 30, 2012)

*Part V*

*-FOR THE TATERS-*
You are going to want to give yourself about 15 min to make the spuds. Bring the cubed potatoes up to a boil, and let 'em rip until fork tender.











Drain the potatoes when tender, and return to the pan, put over LOW heat and help dry them out a little. Add chicken stock, butter, salt and pepper. . .MIX lightly, on low speed with a mixer until things are just getting mixed, and broken down.






Add in MILK. Whole milk and the stock keeps these spuds light and airy, yet, you can still stand a spoon up in 'em. They are rich, and light at the same time, I promise. Now, bring the speed up, slowly, until you are at the highest setting. Whip the hell out of 'em, when you see no lumps, keep mixing and count to 10. Done. Put the mixer down. You are making Whipped Potatoes, not glue!











*FOR SERVICE:*

I do center plate on the spuds, a nice lil mound of them, lay across your piece of bird. With a slotted spoon, spoon over as many, or little, veggies as you want, and then ladle or spoon the pan sauce over the bird, letting it pool around the Whipped potatoes.


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## TATTRAT (Sep 30, 2012)

Sorry for so many parts, having so many pics makes it difficult to break things up to meed forum requirements!

Eat well, all!


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## LPBeier (Sep 30, 2012)

Again another good one, Tatt!  I just stuck an 8 pce fryer in the freezer last week.  I think I will pull it out and make this next week for dinner with my BIL. Other than the butter (I can use ghee) and the milk in the mashed taters (I will use stock) my hubby can eat it all!


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## sparrowgrass (Sep 30, 2012)

Wait--you skipped the part where you added the Cap'n Crunch!!

Looks good, otherwise!!


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## PrincessFiona60 (Sep 30, 2012)

Looks fantastic!  Thanks, Tatt!  Copied and pasted!


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## TATTRAT (Sep 30, 2012)

sparrowgrass said:


> Wait--you skipped the part where you added the Cap'n Crunch!!
> 
> Looks good, otherwise!!



That's my personal stash. . . people want it in their dish, it cost a LOT more.


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## CWS4322 (Sep 30, 2012)

I've had to block your chicken posts--the girls are getting worried...I keep giving them a sidelong look as I look at the pics (had the computer out on the deck and Myrtle and Elsie were on the arm of my chair looking over my shoulder...''oh-oh--that looks SCARY!"). I'm guessing that you're spending more time on the computer while recouping! You've been posting some great looking dishes, Tattrat! Yum!


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## vitauta (Sep 30, 2012)

TATTRAT said:


> Sorry for so many parts, having so many pics makes it difficult to break things up to meed forum requirements!
> 
> Eat well, all!




i'm just loving your chicken dish, tat, and the way you include easy-to-follow pics of each step along the way.  thank you for sharing this comfy/robust chicken meal with us.  tat, you are undoubtedly one of the very finest cook here at dc.  and we have an enviable number of accomplished cooks here.

does the wine need to be white?


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## TATTRAT (Sep 30, 2012)

vitauta said:


> i'm just loving your chicken dish, tat, and the way you include easy-to-follow pics of each step along the way.  thank you for sharing this comfy/robust chicken meal with us.  tat, you are undoubtedly one of the very finest cook here at dc.  and we have an enviable number of accomplished cooks here.
> 
> does the wine need to be white?



Well, Vit, you know, flattery will get you everywhere! lol. Thanks for the kind words, but, there are a number of amazingly capable, and great cooks/Chefs here. I am just happy to be a member of the DC family.

You could certainly use red wine, that would put you in traditional coq a vin territory. I just did this "my" way, using what was kicking around the house.


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## TATTRAT (Sep 30, 2012)

CWS4322 said:


> I'm guessing that you're spending more time on the computer while recouping! You've been posting some great looking dishes, Tattrat! Yum!



Exactly. Part of my "PT" states that I should get back into meal preparation, not for the whole family, but just for myself, lol. Well, I don't really cook for one unless it is heating up a frozen dinner, so I have tasked myself with 2 dinners a night, homemade.  These, have been the things I have been posting as on this auto site I am in, I get people bugging me all the time, "what's easy but good that I can cook", and we have an "official cookbook thread", so I share them here. It's certainly not like what I would be doing at work, but the comfort food, and slow food I just LOVE. Having the chance to document/take pics, and write the threads has been fun for me, I have really enjoyed it. It's a welcome distraction for me, and I hope that everyone can take from it something, and creates some comfy food of their own.


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## LPBeier (Sep 30, 2012)

Tatt, like you, I have my "work mode" where I can only cook for many people and "take it up a notch" in the type of food and presentation.  But I love cooking this type of food - comfort on a plate - for my DH and I.  I have a bit of a challenge with our diet restrictions, but my learned skills help me compensate.

I am loving your threads and can see myself making many of the items.  Keep 'em coming.  We are all happy to reap the benefits of your PT!


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## mollyanne (Sep 30, 2012)

The final presentation is artfully mouthwatering...i love how colorful it is. This is a keeper. I've always wondered, why Yukon Gold potatoes instead of Idaho...is it color or flavor?


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## Andy M. (Sep 30, 2012)

Tasty looking meal and great tutorial.


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## TATTRAT (Sep 30, 2012)

mollyanne said:


> The final presentation is artfully mouthwatering...i love how colorful it is. This is a keeper. I've always wondered, why Yukon Gold potatoes instead of Idaho...is it color or flavor?



For me it is a texture thing, they are a little more more waxy, and take fat better, imo. I also like the mild flavor. Where I have carb overload, with potatoes ALSO in the dish, they hold together better, and don't break down when stirring the pot(though I am very careful to time things as not to overcook a certain element of the dish).

Idahos are great, and certainly have their place, and I will use them when I am looking for more of a snow white base, but still a very potato-y flavor.

It boils down to personal preference at the end of the day with dishes like this.


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Sep 30, 2012)

Tat, you inspired me.  I'm not making the ame chicken dish, but I am going to take pictures, and post it with instructions, and a description/critique of the final dish.  I think I'll also put it all on my bog.  Thanks buddy.  Oh, your dish looks phenomenal!  Unfortunately, my DW isn't crazy about stews.  I'd love to be able to taste what you made.  It looks and sounds sooooo good.  Nice job.  And that smiley with a chef's hat, that's you.

Seeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


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## Dawgluver (Sep 30, 2012)

Nice nice, Tat, and super tutorial!


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## Somebunny (Sep 30, 2012)

Lovely looking dish Tatt.  Can't wait to try it myself!  Thank you for sharing with your very informative tutorial.


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## mollyanne (Oct 1, 2012)

Thank you, tattrat, for your reply to my question regarding "why use Yukon Gold potatoes". That makes sense. I've observed that many cooks follow your same preference and I've wondered why for a very long time...case closed, ty.


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## vitauta (Oct 1, 2012)

i prefer yukon potatoes for most dishes too, except for baked potatoes and fries.  i find i need to use less butter with yukons than other types of potatoes.  could it be only their pretty buttery-yellow color that explains the richer flavor?  

sometimes i like to pick the wee baby-sized potatoes in the bulk section of yukon gold potatoes.  they are so yum parsley-boiled or oven-browned surrounding a roast or meatloaf....


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