Easy Chicken Chasseur is a comforting French classic, crispy chicken thighs gently simmered in a rich mushroom, tomato, and white wine sauce. It looks elegant on the table, but it's truly a one-pan dinner that's realistic for a weeknight.
Why Chicken Chasseur Without Cream Tastes More Authentic
I love this easy Chicken Chasseur, often called French hunter's chicken, because it feels restaurant-worthy yet comes together in one pan. It's a rustic braised stew where the chicken simmers in a rich sauce with onions, mushrooms, tomato paste, and white wine, giving you the slow-cooked flavor of a classic French chicken dish that's still simple enough for a weeknight, making it one of the best chicken chasseur recipe options for big flavor without complexity and the perfect one-pan chicken dinner.
I keep this Chicken Chasseur true to the classic style, mushrooms, tomato paste, white wine, and herbs, creating the sauce, not cream. The richness comes from browned chicken, reduced wine, and a swirl of cold butter for a glossy finish. It's a balanced mushroom chicken and French chicken dinner that's warm, flavorful, and deeply satisfying without feeling heavy, my go-to simple French chicken recipe, and weeknight chicken recipe.
Why You'll Love My Recipe
- One-Pan Recipe: Everything cooks in a single skillet, from searing the chicken to simmering the sauce, making cleanup effortless while keeping all those rich flavors in one place.
- Make-Ahead Friendly: This dish actually tastes even better the next day, and the flavors deepen as it rests. You can cook it ahead, refrigerate it, and gently reheat it before serving.
- Classic French Flavor Made Easy: You get the depth of a traditional French stew without the fuss, just golden chicken, mushrooms, wine, and herbs coming together into a silky, elegant sauce.
Ingredients
You'll find the exact measurements in the recipe card, but here's a closer look at a few of the ingredients and why I use them.
- Chicken Thighs: I always use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs because they stay juicy and create that gorgeous golden crust that gives the sauce its rich foundation.
- Aromatics & Mushrooms: Onion, garlic, and mushrooms are my favorite trio here; they build a deep, savory base that turns wonderfully fragrant as they cook.
- Wine & Chicken Broth: A dry white wine like Sauvignon Blanc adds brightness, while the chicken broth softens it with comforting depth. It's the balance that makes this sauce so delicious.
- Butter & Herbs: I love whisking in cold butter at the end; it gives the sauce a silky finish. Fresh tarragon and parsley brighten everything, adding a fresh, herby aroma right before serving.
How to Make Chicken Chasseur
You can find the complete printable recipe with measurements below, but for now, here's a quick overview of how it goes:
1. Sear the Chicken: Pat the chicken thighs dry, season with salt and black pepper, then lightly dredge in flour. Sear in olive oil and butter until golden on both sides, then set aside.
2. Cook the Vegetables: In the same skillet, sauté the onion, then add the mushrooms until golden. Stir in garlic, sprinkle in flour, and cook briefly before adding tomato paste and bay leaves.
3. Deglaze and Simmer: Pour in white wine, scrape up the browned bits, and reduce by half. Add chicken broth and bring to a gentle simmer, then return the chicken and cook covered for 15 minutes, then uncovered for 15 minutes until tender.
4. Finish the Dish: Remove chicken and discard the bay leaves. Stir in cold butter cubes off the heat until glossy. Return the chicken, spoon over the sauce, sprinkle herbs, and serve warm.
What to Serve with Chicken Chasseur
I like to serve Chicken Chasseur with mashed potatoes, buttered noodles, or rice to soak up the sauce. A crisp salad or a crusty bread completes the meal perfectly for a cozy French-style dinner.
My Tips for Recipe Success
Sear the Chicken Properly: I like to leave the chicken undisturbed while searing; it builds that golden crust and deep flavor.
Storing Leftovers: I like to store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The flavors meld overnight and taste even better the next day.
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Recipe
Chicken Chasseur Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 Bone-in, Skin-on Chicken Thighs - About 3 pounds (1360 g)
- 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
- ½ teaspoon Black Pepper - Freshly ground
- 3 tablespoon All-purpose Flour
- 3 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 30 g Unsalted Butter
Sauce Chasseur
- 1 Medium Yellow Onion - Diced
- ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper - Freshly ground
- 200 g White Mushrooms or Cremini Mushrooms - Sliced
- 3 Cloves Garlic - Minced
- 1 tablespoon All-purpose Flour
- 2 tablespoon Tomato Paste
- 2 Dried Bay Leaves
- 120 ml Dry White Wine
- 400 ml Chicken Broth - Low-sodium
- 30 g Unsalted Butter - Cold and cubed
- 1 tablespoon Fresh Tarragon - Finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon Fresh Parsley - Finely chopped
Instructions
- Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels and season with salt and black pepper. Lightly dredge each piece in flour, shaking off the excess.
- In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter over medium-high heat. Add the chicken thighs skin side down and sear until golden brown, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- In the same skillet, add the diced onion, salt, and black pepper, and sauté until the onion softens, about 5 minutes. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook until golden and their moisture has evaporated around 2-3 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Sprinkle the flour into the pan and stir constantly for 1 minute to remove the raw taste. Add the tomato paste and bay leaves, stirring until evenly combined.
- Pour in the white wine and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook for about 2 minutes, until the wine has reduced by half. Add the chicken broth and bring to a gentle simmer.
- Return the chicken thighs to the skillet, skin side up. Simmer covered for 15 minutes then, uncovered for 15, or until the chicken is tender and cooked through. Remove the chicken onto a plate and discard the bay leaves.
- Turn off the heat and add the cold butter cubes, stirring until melted and the sauce turns glossy.
- Return the chicken to the skillet, spoon the sauce generously over the top, and sprinkle chopped tarragon and parsley.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
John says
This Chicken Chasseur is such a comforting one-pan dinner. The sauce has so much depth from the mushrooms, tomato paste, and wine, and it feels far more special than the effort it takes.