Why You’ll Love This this Rustic French Chicken Marengo
This rustic French classic transforms simple chicken pieces into something that tastes like you’ve been simmering away in the kitchen all day, but thanks to the pressure cooker, you’ll have dinner ready in about half an hour. The combination of white wine, mushrooms, and tomatoes creates this rich, savory sauce that makes even the pickiest eaters ask for seconds – and trust me, there’s something magical about how those flavors meld together under pressure. It’s the kind of recipe that makes you feel like a proper French cook, even if you can barely pronounce “Marengo” correctly.
Ingredients List
You’ll be amazed at how this short ingredient list creates such an incredibly flavorful dish that tastes like it came straight from a French bistro.
- 9 lbs chicken, quartered (or just buy pieces to save yourself the hassle)
- 1 teaspoon coarse black pepper
- 1 cup flour
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/3 cup cooking oil
- 2 cloves garlic
- 4 (3 ounce) cans sliced mushrooms, drained or 1 lb fresh sliced mushrooms
- 4 (16 ounce) cans tomatoes
- 2 cups dry white wine
Health Considerations:
- This recipe is naturally high in protein from the chicken, making it a solid choice for muscle-building meals
- The tomatoes provide lycopene and vitamin C, while mushrooms add B vitamins and minerals
- You can lighten it up by removing the skin from chicken pieces and using less oil for browning
- The wine adds flavor but most alcohol cooks off during the pressure cooking process
- Consider using low-sodium canned tomatoes if you’re watching your salt intake, since there’s already added salt in the recipe
Step by Step Directions
This classic French dish uses a pressure cooker to create tender, flavorful chicken in a rich tomato and wine sauce that’s ready in just minutes.
- Rub the chicken pieces thoroughly with coarse black pepper.
- Dredge each piece of chicken in flour, then season with salt.
- Heat your pressure cooker and add the cooking oil along with the garlic cloves.
- Brown the chicken pieces on all sides until golden.
- Remove and discard the garlic cloves.
- Add the drained mushrooms, canned tomatoes, and 1 cup of the white wine to the cooker.
- Close the pressure cooker cover securely.
- Place the pressure regulator on the vent pipe and cook for 10 minutes at 15 pounds pressure.
- Allow the pressure to drop naturally without forcing it.
- Remove the chicken pieces from the pressure cooker.
- Add the remaining cup of wine to the sauce and simmer until it reaches your desired thickness.
For even better results, consider upgrading to a premium electric pressure cooker that offers more precise temperature control and additional cooking functions.
Substitutions and Variations
- Spice it up – A pinch of red pepper flakes or a diced jalapeño can wake things up if your family likes a little heat.
- Make it creamy – Stir in a splash of heavy cream at the very end for a richer sauce, though purists might argue this isn’t traditional.
- Vegetable additions – Pearl onions, carrots, or even some green beans can bulk this up into more of a complete meal.
Additional Things to Serve With This Dish
This hearty chicken dish practically begs for some good crusty bread to soak up all that gorgeous tomato-wine sauce.
- Crusty French bread or baguette – Because to be frank, leaving that sauce in the bottom of your bowl should be illegal in most states.
- Buttered egg noodles or pappardelle – The wide ribbons catch every drop of sauce, and your family will think you’re some kind of pasta genius.
- Creamy mashed potatoes – They turn this into proper comfort food territory, the kind that makes people forget their troubles for a while.
- Simple rice pilaf – Absorbs the flavors beautifully and won’t compete with the star of the show.
- Roasted asparagus or green beans – A little green never hurt anyone, and the slight char plays nicely against the rich sauce.
- Caesar salad – Something crisp and tangy cuts through all that richness, plus it keeps the French theme going.
- A decent bottle of the same white wine you cooked with – If it’s good enough for the chicken, it’s definitely good enough for you.
Cooking Tips & Tricks (Chef’s Notes)
After making this dish more times than I care to admit, I’ve picked up a few tricks that’ll save you from the mistakes I’ve watched other cooks make.
- Don’t skip browning the chicken – I know it seems like an extra step when you’re already using a pressure cooker, but those golden bits are pure flavor gold that you’ll taste in every single bite.
- Fresh mushrooms beat canned every time – If you can swing it, use fresh mushrooms and sauté them until they’re golden, because nobody ever looked back and wished they’d used the canned stuff.
- Save some wine for the end – Adding that final cup after cooking brightens the whole dish and keeps the wine flavor from completely disappearing into the tomato mix.
- Let the pressure drop naturally – I get it, you’re hungry, but releasing that pressure too fast turns your chicken into rubber, and nobody wants to chew their dinner like gum.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning – Between the tomatoes, wine, and mushrooms, the salt level can be all over the map, so give it a taste before you serve and fix what needs fixing.
- Thicken with a slurry if needed – Mix a tablespoon of flour with cold water until smooth, then stir it in while simmering if your sauce looks more like soup than gravy.
Nutritional Facts
This hearty French dish packs substantial nutrition along with its rich flavors, serving approximately 8 people.
- Calories: Approximately 450-500 calories per serving
- Protein: 35-40 grams per serving from the chicken
- Carbohydrates: 15-18 grams, primarily from tomatoes and flour coating
- Fat: 18-22 grams, including healthy fats from olive oil and natural chicken fat
- Fiber: 3-4 grams from tomatoes and mushrooms
- Sodium: 600-700mg per serving (varies with salt added and canned ingredient brands)
- Potassium: High levels from tomatoes and mushrooms, supporting heart health
- Vitamin C: Significant amounts from tomatoes
- B Vitamins: Rich in niacin, B6, and B12 from chicken
- Selenium: Good source from both chicken and mushrooms
- Iron: Moderate amounts from chicken and tomatoes
- Antioxidants: Lycopene from tomatoes and various compounds from mushrooms and wine
- Alcohol content: Minimal, as most alcohol cooks off during the pressure cooking and simmering process
Fun “Did You Know?”
Did you know that Chicken Marengo was supposedly created on a battlefield?
Legend says Napoleon’s chef invented this dish after the Battle of Marengo in 1800, using whatever ingredients soldiers could find: chicken, tomatoes, mushrooms, and wine.
I find it fascinating that what started as battlefield improvisation became a classic French recipe.
The original version included crayfish and fried eggs, but modern recipes like mine focus on the core flavors.
It’s amazing how this rustic dish, born from necessity and victory, still graces dinner tables today.
History truly does make the best seasoning.
