Chicken Chasseur is a rustic, old-fashioned dinner also known as “Hunter’s Chicken.” Made with chicken, mushrooms, fresh herbs, and tomatoes, it’s perfect spooned over a bed of homemade mashed potatoes!
I love simple dinners that feel fancy. Know what I mean? I’m talking about meals where I can throw all the ingredients in a pot, then treat myself to the kind of cozy, comforting dinner I’d get in a rustic little restaurant. Chicken chasseur is that kind of recipe. The ingredients are simple, everything goes into the same pot, and there are only a few steps.
I like to serve this saucy chicken dinner over a creamy bed of mashed potatoes. It’s supremely satisfying when you get mashed potatoes, chicken, and sauce all in one bite! (I also like to eat rabbit stew this way!)
What is Chicken Chasseur?
Chicken chasseur is a French recipe known as “Hunter’s Chicken” in English. There are many different versions of this dish, but at its core, it’s made of a white wine tomato sauce with fresh herbs, mushrooms, and chicken. Mushrooms are almost always included because, as the story goes, when hunters were returning home they would pick mushrooms along the way that were then used in the meal made with their catch. You can also make this dish with rabbit, venison, wild birds, and other game meat.
Recipe Ingredients
The ingredients for Chicken Chasseur are pretty simple, as you might expect from a rustic recipe! Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for specific amounts.
- Olive oil – I used extra virgin.
- Chicken breasts – I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts. However, you could also use skin-on chicken breasts, chicken thighs or chicken legs. (Rabbit legs would also be delicious with this recipe.)
- Red onion – Yellow onion also works
- Garlic
- Mushrooms – I used white button mushrooms. You could also use baby bellas or whatever other kind of small mushroom you like.
- White wine – You can use a regular cooking wine, but I usually use a dry white wine that I would also drink. This way I can sip on a glass while I wait for dinner to be ready!
- Diced tomatoes
- Fresh herbs: Thyme and oregano
- Sugar
- Kosher salt
- Ground pepper
- Unsalted butter – I like to add some butter towards the end of the cooking time for additional flavor and richness.
How to Make Chicken Chasseur
Warm the oil. In a large pot, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat.
Season and sear the chicken. Season the chicken breasts with a generous pinch of kosher salt and pepper, then brown them on each side until golden. Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside.
Make the sauce. In the same pot, add onion, garlic, and mushrooms and cook on low heat until softened (7-8 minutes). Add the white wine and cook for a couple of minutes, until the sauce is simmering and some of the alcohol has had a chance to cook off (2-3 minutes). Then add the diced tomatoes, thyme, oregano, and sugar.
Add chicken and cook. Place the chicken breasts back in the pot, mix everything together and bring to a boil. Reduce hit to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 30-35 minutes. Give it a good stir, taste, and add salt/pepper as needed. Add the butter and continue to cook, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes longer until the sauce has thickened somewhat and the chicken falls apart when you pierce it with a fork.
Serve. Give it one more stir, then remove from the heat and allow to cool for about 5 minutes. Ladle into bowls and dig in!
Serving Suggestions
What goes with chicken chasseur? So many things! As I mentioned earlier, I personally love serving it over homemade mashed potatoes. If you are carb-conscious, creamy mashed cauliflower would also be delicious! In both cases, I recommend a glass of wine and a thick slice of bread you can use to sop up any extra sauce. You’ll want to lick your bowl clean.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
Once the chicken has cooled, transfer it to an air-tight container and store it in the fridge for up to 4 days. When you are ready to eat the extras, you can ladle the amount you want into a small pot and warm over medium-low heat on the stove until heated through.
You can also spoon your desired amount into a bowl and reheat it in the microwave. In this case, make sure you use a microwave-safe bowl and then cover it with a plate to prevent splattering. I usually stop the microwave halfway through and give everything a good stir to make sure the chicken is reheated evenly.
Can I Freeze This?
Yes! Let it come to room temperature and then transfer to freezer-safe, airtight containers. Make sure you leave at least 1 inch of headroom so that the sauce has room to expand in the freezer. You can store the chicken for up to 3 months.
When you are ready to use it simply defrost in the fridge overnight. You can also run the tupperware under warm water for a few minutes to loosen the frozen chicken chasseur, then dump it into a pot and reheat it over medium heat, covered, until warmed through.
PrintChicken Chasseur (Hunter’s Chicken)
Chicken Chasseur is a rustic, old-fashioned dinner also known as “Hunter’s Chicken.” Made with chicken breasts, mushrooms, fresh herbs, and tomatoes, it’s perfect spooned over a bed of creamy homemade mashed potatoes!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 4-6 servings
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: French
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/2 pound boneless chicken breasts
- 1 medium red onion, sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 cups mushrooms, sliced
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 1 cup canned diced tomatoes
- 2–3 tablespoons fresh thyme
- 2–3 tablespoons fresh oregano
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp ground pepper
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
Instructions
Warm the oil. In a large pot, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat.
Season and sear the chicken. Season the chicken breasts with a generous pinch of kosher salt and pepper, then brown them on each side until golden. Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside.
Make the sauce. In the same pot, add onion, garlic, and mushrooms and cook on low heat until softened (7-8 minutes). Add the white wine and cook for a couple of minutes, until the sauce is simmering and some of the alcohol has had a chance to cook off (2-3 minutes). Then add the diced tomatoes, thyme, oregano, and sugar.
Add chicken and cook. Place the chicken breasts back in the pot, mix everything together and bring to a boil. Reduce hit to medium-low, cover and simmer for 30-35 minutes. Give it a good stir, taste, and add salt/pepper as needed. Add the unsalted butter and continue to cook, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes longer until the sauce has thickened somewhat and the chicken falls apart when you pierce it with a fork.
Serve. Give it another stir, then remove from the heat and allow to cool for about 5 minutes. Ladle into bowls and dig in!
Notes
- Leftovers can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave using a microwave-safe bowl covered with a plate (to prevent splattering).
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