Description
A classic French comfort dish made with a whole chicken gently simmered with carrots, leeks, celery, turnips, potatoes, and herbs until everything is tender and deeply flavorful in a light golden broth.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 whole chicken, about 4 to 4 1/2 pounds
- 10 cups water
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 medium yellow onions, halved
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed
- 4 medium carrots, peeled and cut into large pieces
- 2 large leeks, cleaned well and cut into thick pieces
- 3 celery stalks, cut into large pieces
- 2 medium turnips, peeled and quartered
- 1 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and halved if large
- 4 fresh thyme sprigs
- 2 bay leaves
- 6 fresh parsley sprigs, plus 2 tablespoons chopped parsley for serving
- 2 whole cloves, optional
Instructions
- Place the whole chicken in a large Dutch oven or stockpot. Add the water, salt, black pepper, onions, garlic, carrots, leeks, celery, turnips, thyme, bay leaves, parsley sprigs, and the clove-studded onion half if using.
- Bring the pot to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Skim any foam from the surface to keep the broth clear.
- Partially cover and simmer gently for 45 minutes.
- Add the potatoes around the chicken and continue simmering for 30 to 35 minutes more, until the chicken is fully cooked and the vegetables are tender.
- Transfer the chicken to a platter and let it rest for 10 minutes. Remove the herb sprigs and bay leaves from the broth.
- Taste the broth and adjust seasoning if needed. Cut the chicken into serving pieces.
- Arrange the chicken and vegetables in a serving dish, ladle some hot broth over the top, and finish with chopped parsley. Serve extra broth on the side.
Notes
- Keep the liquid at a gentle simmer, not a hard boil, so the chicken stays tender.
- Clean the leeks very well to remove any grit.
- This dish can be made a day ahead and reheated gently for even deeper flavor.
- Serve with crusty bread or rice to soak up the broth.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 460
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 890mg
- Fat: 21g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 24g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 43g
- Cholesterol: 135mg
Keywords: poule au pot, chicken in a pot, french chicken stew, poached chicken, rustic french dinner, chicken and vegetables, broth-based chicken recipe