CORSICAN CHICKEN with lemon & sage
A one-pot recipe inspired by that simpler, more Mediterranean side of Corsican cooking.
Corsica is one of my favourite parts of France and one of the least talked about when it comes to food. Located in the Mediterranean, just off the south coast near Toulon, this island has a cuisine that sits beautifully between French and Italian. It's rustic and deeply satisfying. Ajaccio, the island's capital and birthplace of Napoleon, is a stunning place and the food reflects the same character as the landscape: bold and unfussy, and full of life.
This recipe is inspired by that simpler, more Mediterranean side of Corsican cooking. A whole chicken braised gently with lemon zest, fresh sage, pink peppercorns and white wine. I like to finish with a little Parmesan, which is the kind of touch you find in Corsican kitchens. While sage is not an herb I reach for every day, it has tons of health benefits so we should all use it way more in cooking I think.
The technique is a gentle braise: the chicken is seared, the onions are cooked down slowly, and everything comes together in one pot. The sauce is then reduced and finished with cream to give you something really special. Moist chicken, a sauce with real flavour and character. Serve it straight from the pot at the table. Nobody will complain!
INGREDIENTS
Serves 4
2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil
2 chicken breast and two legs
Salt and black pepper to season
2 tbsp plain flour (optional)
1 onion, finely diced
150 ml (⅔ cup) dry white wine
500 ml (2 cups) cold good-quality chicken stock
Zest of 1 lemon
Juice of 1 lemon, strained
2 tsp pink peppercorns
3 cloves garlic, bruised
A good handful of fresh sage leaves, stems removed
150 ml (⅔ cup) double cream
3–4 tbsp (20 g–25 g) finely grated Parmesan, to finish
Extra sage leaves and lemon slices, to garnish
MISE EN PLACE
You will need a Dutch oven or cast-iron casserole dish with a lid.
Zest the lemon carefully, using only the yellow surface of the skin to prevent adding bitterness. Cut the lemon in half, press the juice, and strain out the seeds. Set both aside separately.
Pluck the sage leaves from the stems wash and set aside. Bruise the garlic cloves with the flat of your hand.
Season the chicken pieces on both sides, then dust lightly with flour on each side This removes surface moisture to help with browning and will later act as a gentle thickener for the sauce. Keep in mind that adding flour is optional
Preheat your oven to 50°C (120°F) - this is just to keep the chicken warm while you make the sauce.
Method
In the casserole dish, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chicken pieces skin-side down and allow the heat to rise gradually, starting on medium rather than high heat prevents sticking and gives you a more even, controlled colour. Sear for 3 to 4 minutes per side, turning once, until nicely golden. Remove the chicken and set aside on a plate.
Reduce the heat slightly and add a little extra oil if needed. Add the diced onion and cook gently, stirring occasionally, for at least 10 minutes until softened and lightly caramelised. Do not rush this step. As soon as the juices at the bottom of the pan begin to darken, deglaze with the white wine. Raise the heat and let the wine reduce for about a minute or two
Return the chicken pieces to the pot. Pour in the chicken stock. The liquid should come roughly halfway up the chicken. Add the lemon zest, sage leaves, pink peppercorns, bruised garlic and lemon juice. Stir to combine, bring to a light boil, then reduce the heat and partially cover with the lid. You want some evaporation during cooking so the liquid concentrates into your sauce.
Cook the breast pieces for approximately 12–15 minutes, then transfer to a baking tray, cover loosely with foil and keep warm in the low oven. Continue cooking the legs for a further 10-12 minutes until cooked through. Transfer these to the oven as well when done.
With all the chicken resting, turn the heat to high and reduce the cooking liquid by roughly half to concentrates the flavour (that should take 5 minutes maximum). Add the double cream and continue to reduce over high heat for a further 3-4 minutes until the sauce has a good consistency and coats the back of a spoon.
Now reduce the heat to low and stir in the grated Parmesan. Taste and adjust the seasoning and keep in mind that Parmesan carries salt, so you should not need extra salt but mostly black pepper. Return the chicken to the pot, baste with the sauce and reheat gently covered for about 5 minutes before serving.
Serve garnished with fresh sage leaves and a few slices of lemon, with a little extra Parmesan grated over the top if you like.
Tip
If you would like to serve this as individual plated portions rather than family-style, put the sauce in a small blender, blitz for 20 second then pass the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve and plate portions of chicken with that smooth sauce poured over for a smooth, clean finish.
If you are gluten intolerant, omit the flour. The sauce will be slightly thinner but still very good.
Do not eat the sage leaves once cooked, they have done their work in the sauce.