Braised Basque Style Chicken with Piperade Sauce

Last Updated on April 12, 2024 by Carne Diem

Protein:

Origin: European, French

Method: Stovetop

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This Basque style chicken is braised and served with a slightly spicy piperade sauce. With this easy and flavorful chicken basquaise recipe, you can create a perfect dish that’s both hearty and satisfying.  Gather your family and friends around the table and experience the magic of Basque cuisine in your own home.  

A Culinary Journey to Basque Country: Chicken Basquaise with Piperade Sauce

Calling all adventurous home cooks and lovers of French cuisine! Today, we’re embarking on a delicious trip to the Basque Country of southwestern France with a recipe for Poulet Basquaise (pronounced poo-LAY bah-skayz), a dish that embodies the heart and soul of Basque cooking. This rustic stew from the Basque region of southern France is packed with flavor from a slightly spicy pepper sauce.

Chicken Basquaise is a comforting chicken stew featuring tender chicken pieces simmered in a vibrant piperade sauce and is a classic dish in the Basque region of France. Piperade, a signature of Basque cuisine, is a simple yet flavorful blend of peppers, onions, and tomatoes.  This recipe incorporates the traditional ingredients but is easy to make using readily available options as well to create a tasty recipe that’s sure to become a family favorite.

Making the Basque Chicken with Piperade Sauce

To make the Chicken Basquaise you will need to prepare the piperade sauce and then brown and cook the chicken.  Overall, it is a pretty simple recipe that is packed with flavor. 

So, ditch the takeout menus and embark on a culinary adventure to the Basque Country!

Ingredients for Basque Style Chicken

Here’s what you’ll need to bring the flavors of Basque Country to your kitchen:

• Chicken: Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs are the perfect choice for this stew. They add richness and flavor as they braise.  If desired, you can use other cuts of chicken like chicken legs or breasts, but dark meat chicken does work best.
• Piperade Sauce: Red bell peppers, green bell peppers, onions, and garlic cloves form the base of the piperade sauce. Piment d’Espelette (pronounced pee-MAHN day-speh-LET), a unique Basque chili pepper with a smoky depth, adds a touch of magic.  You can buy Espelette chili powder on Amazon or some spice markets, but if you can’t find it smoked paprika can be used as a substitute.  We typically use red onion in this Basque chicken recipe, but you can substitute yellow onions or white onion as well. You will also need fresh tomatoes for the sauce, as we find that Roma tomatoes work best.
• French Flair: Cooking sherry and a squeeze of lemon juice add a touch of acidity that brightens up the flavors. Don’t forget a bay leaf for that classic French touch!

Cooking the Braised Basque Style Chicken

This recipe offers a stovetop simmer method, but you can also achieve delicious results in the oven. Here’s the basic process:

Prep the Veggies: Cut the bell peppers and red onion into matchstick or slices.

Dice the tomatoes and mince the garlic or finely chop it.

Brown the bird: Lightly season the chicken pieces with salt and black pepper.

Sear the chicken pieces in a large pot or Dutch oven, with a good coating of olive oil, over medium-high heat.  Start with the skin side down and sear for a few minutes and then flip the chicken pieces and cook until golden brown on all sides. 

Sauté the vegetables: Remove the chicken from the pan then sauté the onions, peppers, and garlic in the same pan until softened.

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Stir in the seasonings and mix to combine with the veggies.

Deglaze and simmer: Deglaze the pan with white wine or sherry, scraping up any browned bits. Add the remaining ingredients bring to a boil.

Return the chicken to the pan then reduce the heat to a simmer, cover and let the chicken simmer gently until cooked through (about 45 minutes to 1 hour).

Tips and optional additions for Basquaise Bliss

• Spice it Up!: Like a little more heat? Add a pinch of red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper to the sauce for a kick.
• Sun-Kissed Goodness: For an extra layer of flavor, throw in a handful of sun-dried tomatoes along with the fresh ones.
• Spanish Twist: Feeling adventurous? Add some sliced Spanish chorizo for a Spanish-inspired variation on the classic recipe.
• Soak Up the Goodness: Serve your Poulet Basquaise with crusty bread for dipping into the flavorful sauce. It’s the perfect way to enjoy every delicious drop!

This recipe is just a starting point for your Basque culinary exploration. Serve the braised chicken dish with a slice of Basque style cheesecake and some of our Spanish style pasta salad.  

Oven-Baked Basquaise: 

The Poulet Basquaise can also be made in an oven or even a smoker.  After browning the chicken and sautéing the veggies, complete the recipe through up to the simmering stage. 

Preheat your smoker or oven to 325°F (160°C) and transfer the stovetop simmering pot to the oven. Bake for an additional 30-45 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and falling off the bone.

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