Chicken in a pot. Not a very romantic name, I’ll admit. Luckily, the French have the more melodic “poule au pot” to fill that gap for this utterly delicious dish.
But however you say it, chicken in a pot is a traditional French country dish that dates back to Henry IV in the 17th century. You see, he apparently promised that during his reign everyone would be able to afford chicken in a pot on Sundays. A few hundred years later, this idea was revived in American politics when Herbert Hoover’s presidential campaign promised a chicken in every pot, and a car in every garage.
Monarchs and presidents aside, you need to learn this simple and fantastic recipe.
The traditional version of chicken in a pot consists of a whole stuffed chicken poached with vegetables. All of the ingredients contribute to a rich broth, which then is served over the chicken and vegetables, often garnished with pickles, mustard and coarse salt.
But truth is, most of us won’t bother with the stuffing. And that’s a good thing. Because then this becomes a lean dish, one well suited for the new year as we try to recover from the excesses of the holidays.