Poulet Basquaise (Basque Chicken) - Slow Cooker Version
I first had this dish at Bistro Clovis , a haven of authentic French cooking on Market St. in San Francisco. I love the rich sauce that is the product of bell peppers that have almost melted through slow cooking. In fact, the low-heat cooking necessary for this dish inspired me to try it in my slow-cooker. The results were fabulous, and I had the added bonus of free time to work on other things. I love that! Serve over egg noodles or rice.
Yield 6 servings
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 3-pound chicken, cut into serving pieces
Salt and freshly ground pepper +
2 large onions, chopped
3 large bell peppers, preferably red (or try a combination of red, orange and yellow), thickly sliced
12 large cloves garlic, sliced
1 can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 teaspoons Spanish (smoked) paprika
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
6 ounces prosciutto, sliced in.5 inch strips (divided use)
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
| 1 | Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken pieces liberally with salt and pepper. Brown chicken until golden, about 5 minutes per side. Work in batches so as to not crowd the pan. Remove and place in the slow-cooker. |
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| 2 | Add onions, peppers, garlic, tomatoes (with their juice), wine, paprika and red pepper flakes to slow-cooker. Add ½ of the prosciutto and cook on high for 1 hour, then set to low and cook for 4 to 6 hours, depending on your cooker. The sauce should taste rich and melded. Adjust seasoning with salt and freshly ground pepper, if desired. |
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| 3 | Quickly sauté the remaining prosciutto. Place the chicken pieces in a large serving bowl. Remove large pieces of peppers from sauce and place on top of chicken for a colorful garnish. If desired, you can use an immersion blender in sauce for 30 seconds or so to puree some of the remaining vegetables for a thicker sauce. Do not make it entirely smooth, though – that’s not the point here. Pour the sauce into the bowl with chicken. Garnish with the sautéed prosciutto and chopped parsley. |
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| 4 | Use pasta bowls instead of plates for serving. Diners should place a scoop of rice or noodles in the center of their bowl, place a piece of chicken in the bowl, then spoon in some of the delicious sauce. |
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notes
This dish can also be made on the stove top in a large pot or braising pan. Take care to keep heat very low and stir once in a while to prevent sticking.
