Creamy Tuscan Chicken with Garlic and Pancetta
Creamy Tuscan Chicken that's made without cream! The sauce is rich, smooth and delicious, flavored with garlic, pancetta, and white wine. Serve with mashed potatoes.
Creamy Tuscan Chicken that's made without cream! The sauce is rich, smooth and delicious, flavored with garlic, pancetta, and white wine. Serve with mashed potatoes.
- Carbohydrate 1.42008437586599 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 0.948165000528028 g
- Fiber 0.580624991539566 g
- Protein 0.18892375018963 g
- Saturated Fat 0.14078100009328 g
- Serving Size 1 1 serving (43g)
- Sodium 39.0834375002598 mg
- Sugar 0.839459384326421 g
- Trans Fat 0.0493987500391661 g
- Calories 13 calories
Step-by-step
- Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a large skillet pan on a medium heat, lightly season the chicken skin with a little salt.
- Add the chicken thighs skin side down and fry until the skin is browned and crispy (around 8-10 minutes).
- Turn the chicken around and cook on the other side for around 8 minutes again.
- Remove the chicken and set aside.
- Add the pancetta (4.5 oz / 130g) to the same pan and fry until starting to crisp up slightly (3-4 minutes).
- Add the whole garlic cloves (6 large) and fry for another minute, stirring occasionally.
- Add the chicken back to the pan skin side up and add the white wine (1/2 cup / 125ml) with the fresh thyme and oregano (1 tbsp of each).
- Reduce the wine by half (around 4-5 minutes).
- Add the chicken stock and simmer to reduce until only ? of the liquid remains (about 40 minutes).
- Remove the chicken from the pan again and set aside.
- At this point you can crisp the chicken up under a broiler (oven grill) if you prefer.
- Reduce the heat to the lowest setting and make sure it is not boiling.
- In a small ramekin, add the lemon juice (1 tsp) and 1 large egg yolk, whisk to combine.
- Add the egg mixture to the sauce and whisk continuously until the sauce has thickened and turned a pale yellow colour (around 3 minutes).
- Add the chicken back to the pan to heat through, garnish with chives and serve.
- See notes for serving suggestions.
Thermal control determines whether this pan sauce breaks or thickens into a glossy, velvety emulsion. When incorporating the egg yolk and lemon juice mixture into the reduced chicken stock, drop the burner to its lowest setting and verify that the liquid has stopped bubbling entirely before whisking. Continuous movement is mandatory during the three-minute thickening window to prevent the protein from coagulating into scrambled bits. Establishing this gentle heat management allows the lecithin in the yolk to bond effectively with the rendered fats without requiring heavy cream. Rendering the smoked pancetta first builds a foundational layer of rendered pork fat that infuses the whole pan before the garlic cloves go in for their brief, one-minute sizzle. Because the white wine reduces by half and the stock reduces until one-third remains, the resulting pan drippings concentrate intensely, making starchy accompaniments essential for balance. Mashed potatoes act as an ideal sponge for the rich liquid, soaking up the savory drippings while offering a neutral canvas against the sharp herbal notes of fresh oregano and thyme. For larger gatherings, doubling the chicken thighs requires scaling the pan-searing step in two separate batches to avoid overcrowding the skillet and steaming the skin instead of crisping it. A heavy-bottomed stainless steel or cast-iron skillet retains the thermal mass needed to brown the chicken skin properly over eight to ten minutes per side. Finishing the thighs under the oven broiler for two minutes right before saucing restores maximum crunch to the exterior after extended simmering.
