French Chicken Marengo

Chicken Marengo is a classic French dish named after the Battle of Marengo, a victory for Napoleon’s French troops in 1800. This saucy one-pot dish is a tasty combination of chicken thighs braised in a white wine, tomato and mushroom sauce – livened up with orange zest. This is a wholesome meal to serve for your family or dinner guests, and is guaranteed to please.

Chicken Marengo is a classic of the French repertoire, alongside other iconic dishes like the Coq Au vin or the Beef Bourguignon. It is one of those typical French “saucy” dishes that brings big comfort, while being a bit more sophisticated than a simple gratin or quiche.

It is a recipe I often love to make when hosting a dinner, when I want to serve an elegant crowd-pleasing dish that won’t feel overly fancy. Chicken, tomatoes and mushrooms are staple features you can really never go wrong with, aren’t they? But then you also have the white wine and orange zest to bring a touch of originality that makes this dish special.

The authentic recipe is garnished with fried eggs and crayfish, but these are often omitted in modern recipes and substituted with mushrooms for a more affordable option.

I actually love the combination of tomatoes and mushrooms here. I think this is a great dish to transition from warm to cooler days. A dish to wave goodbye to Summer and its ripe bursting tomatoes, and welcome autumn with its heartwarming rustic stews and saucy meals.

The Story behind the dish

Let’s talk about the name of dish first. Legend has it, Chicken Marengo was invented by French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte’s chef François Claude Guignet – nicknamed Dunan- the evening of the French’s victory over Austrian forces in Marengo, in Northern Italy.

After Napoleon asked him to prepare a dish to celebrate the victory, Dunan had to hurriedly improvise a recipe and sent the troop’s officers to find ingredients in the marshes and villages settled around the battlefield: one soldier returned with tomatoes and fresh herbs, another with chicken and eggs and one with crayfish he fished in a swamp.

It is said Napoleon loved the resulting dish so much he asked Dunan to serve him the same one before each of his future battles to bring him good luck on the battlefield. One day, as he was lacking crayfish and eggs, the chef decided to swap them for seasonal mushrooms.

This “victory dish” then won over the hearts of Parisians and became an emblematic recipe in the French cooking repertoire, still to this day.

A simple version of Chicken Marengo

The Chicken Marengo is an approachable recipe and crowd-pleasing dish that will easily find its way to your table. Here is the list of ingredients along with recommendations you need for this authentic French Chicken Marengo recipe.

The ingredients you need for a Chicken Marengo

1. Chicken thighs. Skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs are my pieces of choice for this recipe – and for any type of wine-braised recipe really. They are so flavorful and turn fork tender when braised.  
2. Salt and pepper. Season the chicken with salt and pepper at least 30 minutes prior.
3. Flour. Rolling the chicken thighs in flour helps make them extra crispy once seared.
4. Butter. Unsalted butter is best. Butter is great to first sear the chicken thighs and give them a nice golden crispness. 
5. Onion and garlic. This duo creates a flavorful base for the Marengo sauce.
6. Parsley. Fresh flat leaf parsley is best. Although you could also use curly.
7. White wine. Opt for a dry, crisp white wine. For more details and wine suggestions, make sure to read the paragraph below.
8. Chicken stock. Ideally, opt for a low sodium chicken stock.
9. Tomatoes. I like to use a can [796ml/28fl oz] of whole peeled tomatoes that I then chop roughly or hand crush. Do not drain the juice out before adding. Avoid using tomato purée as you would miss the texture provided by crushed or chopped tomatoes. When in season, ripe tomatoes are obviously great for this recipe too. Choose a variety of tomato that is juicy and with a soft, ripe flesh such as plum or beefsteak.
10. Orange  zest. This flavors the sauce and gives it a signature taste. Because we are using the zest of an orange, ideally pick one that is organic and rinse it well before zesting.
11. Cremini mushrooms. Cremini mushrooms are traditionally used for making this recipe, but you can opt for other seasonal mushrooms if you want, such as porcini.

Overview: how to make Chicken Marengo

Here are the directions for making this recipe. You can find the list of ingredients and detailed instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this article.  

1. Sear the chicken. Start by rolling the chicken thighs in flour, sear them in butter until crisp and golden and set aside onto a plate.
2. Build the sauce. In the same pan, add the olive oil, onion, garlic and parsley and sear for a few minutes. Add the white wine and chicken stock, followed by the diced tomatoes in their juice.
3. Braise the chicken in the sauce. When the sauce starts to simmer, nestle the chicken pieces into the sauce and simmer for about 30 minutes.
4. Garnish, season and serve. Lastly, stir in the orange zest and mushrooms, and simmer for 10 more minutes. Taste the sauce, adjust seasoning if needed and serve over white rice and green beans.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which white wine to choose to cook a Chicken Marengo?

For this recipe, choose a white wine that is dry and crisp, so it isn’t too overpowering. A “dry” white is any white wine that isn’t sweet. And a “crisp” white is a wine that has a high acidity.   

Some of my recommendations are Pinot Grigio (neutral, easy to cook with, versatile), Sauvignon Blanc (bright acidity) and unoaked Chardonnay (richer, with lovely citrus notes).

In any case, avoid opting for sweet white wines (ie. Riesling, Sauternes) which will provide too much sweetness to the finish dish. Also, avoid full-bodied, rich and/or oaky white wines (ie. Oaked Chardonnay) which tend to develop bitter undernotes when cooked.

Lastly, you shouldn’t necessarily reach for a “cheap” bottle, but one that is still drinkable – trust me, it will really make a difference. Forget the “cooking wines” from the grocery store! 

Can I omit the white wine from this recipe?

I don’t recommend omitting the white wine, as this will change the flavor of the dish too much. And if you are worried about the alcohol, know that cooking the wine generally cooks out most of the alcohol.

Can I use skinless chicken thighs?

I highly recommend leaving the skin on the chicken for this recipe. When searing the chicken, the fat from the skin will melt and render into the pan. It will help crisp up the chicken and also be used later to cook the onions and garlic, and as a base for the sauce. It will contribute greatly to building flavors in this dish. You can choose to remove the skin later in your plate, once the dish is served.

Can I use chicken drumsticks ?

Of course! I prefer thighs for the meat on them, but if drumsticks are on sale, use 8-10 drumsticks as a substitute.

Can I use chicken breast (white meat)?

Yes, you can. But white meat generally cooks faster and dries quicker than red meat. The dish won’t be quite as succulent. But if you want white meat, I would make a change to Step 4, in that I’d simmer the tomatoes alone for 15min, then add the white chicken meat and simmer for 15min more (instead of simmering for 30min total with the chicken thighs).

Can I omit the orange zest?

Although it may be surprising to finish off a saucy mushroom and meat recipe with orange zest, it truly brings the whole dish together, so I recommend using it. It adds depth of flavor and brightens the dish, making it a perfect meal to transition from late Summer to early Fall.

Storing tips

• To refrigerate: If you have any leftovers, simply store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• To freeze: Ensure the dish is cooled completely, and then placed in an airtight and freezer friendly container. To use, allow to thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat ideally on a stovetop over medium-low heat until ready to serve.

I hope you’ll love this French Chicken Marengo recipe as much as I do! If you have any questions, please feel free to leave a comment. 

More comfort recipes you may like: 

• Classic French Coq Au Vin Rouge
• French Style Macaroni Gratin
• French Roast Chicken (Poulet Rôti)
• French Chicken and Mushroom Pie (Tourte)
• Chicken Chasseur (Classic French Hunter’s Chicken)
• Braised Chicken Thighs with Garlic and Onion
• Chicken Breasts in Creamy Mushroom Sauce
• French Style Cottage Pie (Hachis Parmentier)

French Chicken Marengo

Print Recipe

Serves: 4-6 people Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cooking Time: 50 Minutes 50 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 4.5/5

( 27 voted )

Ingredients

6 Chicken thighs, bone-in, skin-on
Salt, pepper for seasoning
1/3 cup (42g) All-purpose Flour
2 tbsp (28.5g) Unsalted butter
2 tbsp (30ml) Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 large onion, peeled and diced
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
7 – 8 sprigs flat leaf parsley, stemmed and chopped
¾ cup (185ml) dry white wine
¾ cup (185ml) chicken stock
1 can [796ml/28fl oz] of whole tomatoes (about 12 plum tomatoes), diced in small cubes (keep the juice too).
1 tsp fresh orange zest
16 cremini mushrooms (300g) (white or brown), sliced

Instructions

Step 1 – About 30 minutes before using, take the chicken out the fridge. Rinse thighs thoroughly and pat them dry all over with paper towel to remove any excess moisture. This will help ensure the skins gets a nice crispy skin when cooking. Leave the chicken on the counter to allow to warm up to close to room temperature before cooking.

Step 2 – Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper on both sides. Place the 1/3 cup of flour in a shallow plate and roll each chicken thigh in flour to cover evenly.

Step 3 – Melt the butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the chicken thighs and cook for 7-8 minutes on each side, until the skin is crisp and golden. Transfer the thighs to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.

Step 4 – Add the extra virgin olive oil to the same frying pan, along with the diced onion, garlic, and parsley. Cook for 2-3 minutes, still over medium heat and stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until the onion is translucent.

Add the white wine and chicken stock to the pan and scrape off any bits at the bottom of the pan with the wooden spoon.

Step 5 – Stir in the diced tomatoes with their juice. Turn the heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer. Nestle the chicken pieces into the sauce and turn the heat to medium-low (for a slow simmer). Simmer for 30 minutes (lid-off).

Step 6 – Stir in the orange zest, followed by the mushrooms and simmer for 10 more minutes or until the mushrooms are cooked through. Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning if needed.

Serve immediately over white rice and green beans.