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The main dish, French classic

Bresse chicken with morels and cream

Bresse chicken with morels and cream is a classic French dish for 6 people, with 45 minutes of active work spread over the morning. The chicken and sauce are made ahead the same day, then just reheated before guests arrive. It's medium difficulty, about €7.50 per person, and the key is saving the morel soaking liquid for the sauce.

A beautiful Bresse chicken coated in morel cream, a dinner party that smells like a celebration.

Bresse chicken with morels and cream
For
6 people
Work
45 min
Total time
2 h 10
Prep
Prepared the same day
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€7.50
Calories per person
680 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach

Morels give this dish a deep, slightly musky forest flavor that the cream softens without ever covering up. Bresse chicken, firm and full of flavor, holds up well to cooking and pairs perfectly with this rich sauce that coats the back of a spoon. It's a dish that smells like a celebration the moment it hits the table.

Serve it for a dinner party you want to dress up a bit, a family Sunday lunch, or an occasion worth marking, in spring when fresh morels are in season, or in fall for a cozier menu. Around it, keep the rest of the meal simple, a light starter and a dessert that isn't too rich, since the morel sauce is already the star of the show.

The schedule

What happens when, so you can be with your guests instead of in the kitchen.

  1. The day before Nothing to do
  2. The same day 3 steps, 1 h 45
  3. Before the guests arrive 1 step, 20 min
  4. When it's time to serve 1 step

In the morning, soak and rinse the morels, roast the chickens, then make the sauce with the morels, shallots, and cream, keeping the strained soaking liquid. Just before guests arrive, arrange the chicken in the dish with the sauce and reheat gently at 150°C, covered with foil. At serving time, bring the dish to the table as is, the morel sauce does all the work.

The ingredients

6 people

Butcher

  • Free range chickens 2

Pantry

  • Dried morels 40 g
  • Vin jaune or dry white wine 10 cl
  • Chicken stock 20 cl
  • Butteroften in the pantry 40 g
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Dairy

  • Heavy cream 40 cl

Fruits and vegetables

  • Shallots 3

Allergens Lactose

The recipe, moment by moment

The same dayDuring the day, whenever you get a moment.

  1. Soak the morels in warm water, rinse them thoroughly, and strain the soaking liquid through paper towel. 30 min

    Press them gently, sand hides in their honeycomb texture.

  2. Salt the chickens, butter them, and roast at 200°C, then carve them into pieces. 1 h

    Let rest 10 minutes before carving, the juices stay in the meat.

  3. Sauté the shallots and morels in butter, deglaze with the wine, add the chicken stock and 10cl of the soaking liquid, then the cream. Let it reduce. 15 min

    Keep it at a gentle simmer, the sauce is ready when it coats the back of a spoon.

Before the guests arriveThe last hour, right before the doorbell rings.

  1. Arrange the chicken pieces in a dish with the sauce, cover, and reheat at 150°C. 20 min

    Cover with foil so the chicken doesn't dry out.

When it's time to serveThe final touches, right in front of your guests.

  1. Serve the chicken coated in morel sauce, straight from the baking dish.

    Rice or fresh tagliatelle pair very well with the sauce.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick dried morels that are dark and plump, they carry more flavor than pale ones and give you a deeper sauce.
  • If the sauce looks too thin after reducing, let it simmer uncovered a few more minutes, it thickens quickly once the cream goes in.
  • Cut the chicken into even pieces before arranging them in the dish, they reheat more evenly and the sauce coats them better.

The variations

  • Swap the vin jaune for a dry white wine like Chardonnay if you don't have any on hand, the result stays very close.
  • For a quicker version, use already cleaned frozen morels, you skip the soaking and rinsing time entirely.
  • Dried porcini instead of morels work just as well, giving the dish a milder, woodsier flavor.

What to serve it with

  • White rice or fresh tagliatelle
  • A light starter, green salad or soup
  • A dry white wine, Jura or Burgundy style

Storage

The dish keeps for 2 days in the fridge in a sealed container. It freezes well, chicken and sauce together, for about a month. Reheat gently covered, in the oven or on the stove, so the sauce doesn't split.

Questions about this recipe

Can you use fresh morels instead of dried ones?

Yes, if you find them in spring, use about 150g of fresh morels for every 40g of dried. Clean them well since sand hides in their honeycomb texture, and sauté them directly without soaking.

How do you know the chicken is fully cooked?

Pierce the thickest part of the thigh, the juices should run clear, not pink. With a Bresse chicken around 1.5kg, 60 minutes at 200°C is usually enough.

Can this dish be made for more than 6 people?

Yes, the recipe doubles easily, just plan on one chicken per 3 people roughly. Make the sauce in a larger pot so it reduces properly.

Does the sauce hold up to being made ahead?

Yes, it's actually better that way, the flavor deepens as it sits for a few hours. Just avoid leaving it too long at room temperature before reheating the dish.

Can a Bresse chicken with morels and cream be made ahead?

Yes, during the day. The recipe needs 45 min of work in total, split up like this, the same day, 3 steps, before the guests arrive, 1 step, when it's time to serve, 1 step.

How long does it take to make a Bresse chicken with morels and cream?

Allow 2 h 10 in total, including resting and cooking time, of which 45 min is actual work. The recipe is rated "medium".

How many calories are in a Bresse chicken with morels and cream?

About 680 kcal per person, for a recipe meant for 6 people. The calories are calculated by Kiloach, your kilo coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a Bresse chicken with morels and cream cost?

About €7.50 per person, that's €45.00 for 6 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains lactose. Remember to ask your guests about their allergies before putting your menu together.

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Build a menu

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