Chicken Bigarade Recipes

CLASSIC FRENCH DUCK A L'ORANGE

Steps:

• Use a needle or sharp knife point to pierce the skin of the fat ducks all over, taking care to not pierce the meat itself; go in at an angle. This helps the fat render out of the bird. Salt the ducks well and preheat the oven to 325°F.
• Put the ducks in an ovenproof pan. I rest them on celery leaves to prop them above the level of the pan; this helps them crisp better. If you want, surround the duck with some root vegetables. Roast for 90 minutes.
• Take the pan out and increase the heat to 425°F. When it hits this temperature, put the birds back in the oven and roast until the skin is crispy, about 15 to 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, boil the vinegar and sugar in a small pot until it turns brown. Pour in the stock little by little, stirring all the while. Set aside.
• Shave the peel off the oranges, grating some fine and keeping the peel of 2 oranges in large pieces. Juice 2 oranges. Cut segments from the other 2 oranges. Here is a tutorial on how to do that.
• When the ducks are ready, remove them from the oven and let them rest on a cutting board.
• Finish the sauce. Bring it to a simmer, then add about 1/2 cup of orange juice and the large bits of peel. Simmer 5 minutes. Whisk together a little of the sauce with the starch, and, when it's mixed well, stir it into the saucepot to thicken. Add the Grand Marnier and enough salt and orange bitters to taste. Swirl in the butter one tablespoon at a time.
• To serve, carve the duck and arrange on plates. Give everyone some orange supremes and pour over the sauce. Garnish with the grated zest, and serve with good bread, mashed potatoes or celery root, or polenta.

EASY BIGARADE SAUCE (L'ORANGE)

Steps:

• Peel the zest off of 2 oranges and the lemon with a vegetable peeler; set aside.
• Squeeze the juice out of all the oranges and the lemon; set aside.
• In a saute pan, over low heat, cook the sugar with the vinegar until reduced to a dark syrup.
• Add the stock and orange and lemon juices; bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat and simmer for about 45 minutes, skimming any foam that appears on the top.
• Once done, the sauce should coat the back of a spoon.
• Meanwhile, cut the reserved zests into thin julienne strips; add to sauce the last couple of minutes of cooking.
• Season sauce with salt and pepper to taste; serve hot.

BIGARADE SAUCE RECIPE

Steps:

• Remove the zest from half of the orange, cut into ¼ inch strips and reserve. Squeeze the juice from the orange and save that too.
• Heat up a sauce pan over medium heat. When hot, add the butter and then the shallots. Saute the shallots until translucent, about 3 minutes.
• Add the orange juice, vinegar and orange liqueur (optional). Let this reduce for 2 minutes.
• Add the demi glace and reserved orange zest to the sauce pan. Let this simmer and reduce down until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoons.
• Taste and adjust seasonings with salt and pepper.
• Strain the sauce through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth.
• Serve with duck, chicken or trout.

CHICKEN PICCATA

Steps:

• Season chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in flour and shake off excess.
• In a large skillet over medium high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter with 3 tablespoons olive oil. When butter and oil start to sizzle, add 2 pieces of chicken and cook for 3 minutes. When chicken is browned, flip and cook other side for 3 minutes. Remove and transfer to plate. Melt 2 more tablespoons butter and add another 2 tablespoons olive oil. When butter and oil start to sizzle, add the other 2 pieces of chicken and brown both sides in same manner. Remove pan from heat and add chicken to the plate.
• Into the pan add the lemon juice, stock and capers. Return to stove and bring to boil, scraping up brown bits from the pan for extra flavor. Check for seasoning. Return all the chicken to the pan and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove chicken to platter. Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter to sauce and whisk vigorously. Pour sauce over chicken and garnish with parsley.

PERFECT CHICKEN PICCATA

Steps:

• Slice chicken breasts in half lengthwise and lightly pound to 1/2-inch thick. Season evenly on both sides with salt and pepper. Dredge each piece in flour to coat the surface and shake off any excess flour.
• Heat 2 tablespoons oil and 1 1/2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until just beginning to smoke. Add 1/2 of the chicken and cook, undisturbed, until browned and easily released from the skillet, 2 1/2 to 3 minutes. Flip and cook for 2 more minutes. Remove from the skillet. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the drippings and repeat the cooking process with remaining chicken. Reserve all chicken on a plate.
• Reduce heat to medium and melt remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons butter in the skillet. Add wine and capers and stir, scraping to release any browned bits from the skillet; bring to a simmer. Cook for 2 minutes to slightly reduce. Add chicken stock, lemon juice, and lemon zest; stir to combine. Bring to a simmer and cook for 2 minutes.
• Return chicken to the skillet and cook, turning occasionally in the sauce, until chicken is no longer pink in the center, the juices run clear, and the sauce has thickened slightly, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Remove from heat and sprinkle with parsley to serve.

THE BEST CHICKEN PICCATA

Steps:

• Set a wire rack inside a rimmed baking sheet. Cut two 12-inch sheets of plastic wrap.
• Cut the chicken breasts in half lengthwise, making 4 roughly equal pieces; they should look like large chicken tenders. Place one sheet of plastic on a clean cutting board. Put a chicken piece in the center of the plastic and top with the other sheet of plastic. Pound the chicken with the flat side of a meat mallet, starting in the center and working your way to the edges, until the chicken is 1/4-inch thick and 6 to 8 inches long. Transfer to the wire rack. Repeat with the remaining chicken, one piece at a time. Liberally sprinkle with salt and pepper. Refrigerate the chicken cutlets uncovered for 1 hour.
• Remove the zest from half of the lemon in wide strips with a vegetable peeler, leaving the bitter white pith behind. Halve and juice the whole lemon.
• Put the flour in a shallow bowl or plate. Dredge the chicken in the flour, shaking off any excess. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until very hot, about 1 minute. Add 1 tablespoon of the butter and melt. Working in 2 batches, cook the cutlets, adding another tablespoon of butter to the skillet between batches, until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side (it's ok if the chicken is not completely cooked through, it will finish cooking in the sauce). Transfer the cutlets to a plate.
• Reduce the heat to medium. Add the garlic and 1 tablespoon of the butter to the skillet and cook until the garlic is tender and fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the wine and cook until almost completely evaporated, about 4 minutes. Add the capers, lemon zest, 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice, 1/4 cup water and the cutlets with any accumulated juices and bring to a boil. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons butter. Turn the chicken to coat in the sauce and cook until the butter melts and the sauce thickens slightly. Garnish with chopped parsley.

CHICKEN BIGARADE

Steps:

• In a large skillet, heat 2 teaspoons of the oil over moderate heat. Dredge the chicken in the flour, shaking off the excess. Sauté the chicken for 2 minutes per side until golden. Transfer to a plate.
• Add the bell pepper and the remaining 1 teaspoon of olive oil and sauté for 3 minutes or until crisp tender. Add to the plated chicken.
• Add the sugar to the pan and cook for 3 minutes until caramelized. Add the vinegar and cook for 30 seconds.
• Add the orange zest, juice, broth, rosemary and pepper and bring to a boil.
• Return the chicken and bell pepper to the pan, reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 7 minutes or until the chicken is just cooked through. Stir in the cornstarch mixture and boil for 1 minute, stirring, until lightly thickened.
• Meanwhile with a small paring knife, peel the oranges. Separate the orange sections from the membranes and stir the segments into the pan. Serve the chicken with the sauce and oranges.