Chicken, Apples, and Cream à la Normande

While searching for a savory apple dish to share with you, I came across a recipe for Chicken, Apples, and Cream à la Normande in Dorie Greenspan’s book, Around My French Table. The history of this dish is classically French. The Taste of France, by Robert Freson, describes Normandy, a region in northwest France as “one of the great gastronomic regions of France…” Normandy has long been famous for cream, eggs, butter, cheese, and cider. The food of Normandy is rich and satisfying, meant to keep you warm and fueled through a chilly, windblown day of hard work. A dish with the title à la Normande makes a reference to the dairy or delicious apples the region is known for.

In Dorie Greenspan’s recipe, boneless skinless chicken breasts are dredged in flour and browned in butter. An apple, onion, and exactly 8 mushrooms are tossed into the pot with a splash of chicken broth and a couple of tablespoons Calvados (apple brandy from Normandy). Once the alcohol burns off the dish is finished with heavy cream. Dorie’s recipe is lovely. It’s put together and precise. Heavy on the cream, light on the apples. My version is rugged and bold rather than sophisticated and serene. I want to taste the Calvados, to get a hit of brandy, so I added more. Of course one apples wasn’t enough, I had to throw in two. Also, I used a mixture of white button and crimini mushrooms for their earthy flavor. The sage from my garden brought a hint of holiday cheer. Lastly, I used more homemade chicken broth and less cream for a savory gravy rather than a creamy sauce. Use tart apples like Granny Smith or Jonathon for this recipe, so the flavor will stand up amongst all the other ingredients. Chicken, Apples, and Cream à la Normande is perfect for a chilly fall day and a big appetite. Serve it with roast Jerusalem artichokes or mashed potatoes. The dish is delicious the next day, so feel free to make it ahead and re-heat later.

Calvados, Apple Brandy from France (c)2011 LaDomestique.com

Chicken, Apples, and Cream à la Normande

recipe adapted from Around My French Table, by Dorie Greenspan, serves 4

Ingredients

All-purpose flour, for dredging
salt and freshly ground pepper
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, without tenders, at room temperature
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1/2 pound mushrooms (a mixture of cremini and white button) cleaned and sliced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
2 small tart apples (like Granny Smith or Jonathon) peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2 inch chunks
3/4 cup homemade chicken broth
1/4 cup Calvados (apple brandy- buy the good stuff)
1/2 cup heavy cream

Season the chicken with salt and pepper, then dredge it in flour, shaking off the excess. Heat a large sautée pan with high sides over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon oil. Once the butter has melted, place the chicken in the pan. Do not crowd it, or the chicken breasts won’t sear. It’s best to do two chicken breasts at a time unless you have a huge pan that can accomadate them all. Cook the chicken for about 3 minutes per side for a golden brown crust. Remove the chicken from the pan and set it aside, covered in foil.

Add 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon oil to the pan. Toss in the onion and sautée until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms, sage, and apples and cook until the mushrooms are tender, about 5 minutes. Season the mixture with salt and freshly ground pepper.

Pour in the chicken broth and scrape up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring the mixture to a boil and return the chicken to the pan. Simmer, covered, for about 10 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.

Make the sauce. Remove the chicken from the pan, turn up the heat, and pour in the Calvados. Boil for a minute to evaporate some of the alcohol and concentrate the sauce. Pour in the cream and heat through. Season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper. Serve the sauce over the warm chicken immediately.