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Meat, South and mountains

Chicken Célestine with potatoes

Chicken Célestine is a sauté of chicken thighs with mushrooms and tomatoes, deglazed with white wine, served with steamed potatoes. It serves 4 people, takes 1 hour, is easy to make, and costs around €3.40 per serving. The key to success is browning the chicken and mushrooms well before adding any liquid.

Off to Lyon with a chicken Célestine, sautéed with mushrooms and tomatoes, deglazed with white wine, simple and full of flavor.

Chicken Célestine with potatoes
Total time
1 h
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€3.40
Calories per person
500 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Fall, Spring
The kids
They generally like it

This dish simmers gently and fills the kitchen with the kind of smell you'd expect on a Sunday, even on a Tuesday night. The mushroom and tomato sauce gets its depth from white wine and tarragon, just enough to coat the steamed potatoes. The chicken stays tender thanks to the covered simmer, while the mushrooms add body without weighing the dish down.

This is a recipe for nights when you want something hearty without spending hours in the kitchen. Kids get the chicken and potatoes they already love, while the sauce and tarragon give the table a bit of bistro charm for the adults. Mon Chou suggests it for quiet weekends as much as for slower weeknight dinners.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Chicken thighs 4

Fruits and vegetables

  • Button mushrooms 300 g
  • Tomatoes 4
  • Shallot 2
  • Garlic 2 cloves
  • Potatoes 900 g

Pantry

  • Dry white wine 20 cl
  • Tarragonoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

The step by step recipe

  1. Brown the chicken thighs in a sauté pan with the oil, season with salt and pepper, then set them aside. 12 min

    Pat the skin dry, it will brown faster.

  2. Sauté the shallots and sliced mushrooms in the same pan.

    The mushrooms should brown well before adding any liquid.

  3. Add the garlic and diced tomatoes, deglaze with the white wine, and put the chicken back in.

    Peel the tomatoes by blanching them first, the sauce will be smoother.

  4. Cover and let it simmer gently with the tarragon. 35 min

    Add the tarragon halfway through cooking, it loses its flavor quickly.

  5. Steam the potatoes and serve them with the chicken and its sauce. 25 min

    Mash one potato into the sauce, it makes it creamier.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick firm, white button mushrooms, they release less water and brown better in the pan.
  • If the sauce looks too thin at the end, let it reduce uncovered for a few minutes until it coats the back of a spoon.
  • Cut the potatoes into even pieces so they all steam at the same rate.

The variations

  • Swap the white wine for chicken broth with a splash of lemon juice if you'd rather skip the alcohol.
  • For a vegetarian version, replace the chicken with whole portobello mushrooms and add more button mushrooms to the mix.
  • For young kids in a hurry, blend part of the tomato and mushroom sauce, it's then easy to eat with a spoon alongside mashed potatoes.

What to serve it with

  • A glass of dry white wine
  • A simple green salad
  • Crusty bread for the sauce

Storage

Chicken Célestine keeps for 2 to 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container. It freezes well without the potatoes, for up to 2 months. Reheat it gently in a pan or over low heat, adding a splash of water to loosen the sauce.

Questions about this dish

Can you make chicken Célestine ahead of time?

Yes, you can make it the day before, the sauce actually tastes better once the flavors have had time to settle. Reheat it gently over low heat the next day and steam the potatoes fresh just before serving.

Can you use different mushrooms?

You can use seasonal mushrooms like chanterelles or oyster mushrooms instead of button mushrooms. The flavor changes slightly but the cooking method stays the same.

Does chicken Célestine freeze well?

Yes, freeze the chicken and its sauce once cooled, but leave out the potatoes since they don't hold up well after thawing. It keeps in the freezer for up to 2 months.

What can you use instead of tarragon?

Flat leaf parsley or a bit of fresh thyme works well if you don't have tarragon on hand. The result will taste different but still good, tarragon just brings a distinct anise note to this dish.

How long does it take to make a chicken Célestine with potatoes?

Count 1 h in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in a chicken Célestine with potatoes?

About 500 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a chicken Célestine with potatoes cost?

About €3.40 per serving, or €13.60 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains none of the major allergens tracked by Mon Chou. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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