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Meat, Classics and bistro fare

Chicken Marengo with rice

Chicken Marengo with rice is a braised dish of chicken thighs, tomatoes, and mushrooms, serving 4, ready in 1 hour 10 minutes, rated easy, at €3.10 per serving. The key is browning the chicken well at the start, which builds the deep flavor of the whole sauce.

Chicken Marengo is the story of a general who wanted a good meal after the battle, and tonight you're the hero, with rice for the sauce.

Chicken Marengo with rice
Total time
1 h 10
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€3.10
Calories per person
530 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Fall, Winter, Spring
The kids
They generally like it

Chicken Marengo is a tomato sauce simmered with white wine, garlic, and mushrooms browned separately, until it turns rich and fragrant. The chicken thighs soften slowly inside it, and the meat nearly falls off the bone by the time you serve.

This is the kind of dish to put on the table on a Sunday evening, or on a weeknight if you have a little time while it simmers. Kids eat the sauce with rice without asking questions, and adults recognize that slow cooked, grandmother's kitchen kind of flavor.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Chicken thighs 4

Pantry

  • Crushed tomatoesoften in the pantry 400 g
  • Dry white wineoften in the pantry 20 cl
  • Chicken brothoften in the pantry 20 cl
  • Riceoften in the pantry 300 g
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Thymeoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Bay leafoften in the pantry 1
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Fruits and vegetables

  • White mushrooms 300 g
  • Onion 2
  • Garlic 3 cloves
  • Parsley 4 sprigs

The step by step recipe

  1. Brown the salted and peppered chicken thighs on all sides in hot oil, then set aside. 10 min

    Don't crowd the pan, the chicken needs to brown, not steam.

  2. In the same pot, cook the onions and garlic, then deglaze with white wine, scraping up the browned bits. 5 min

    Let the wine reduce by half so the alcohol cooks off.

  3. Add the tomatoes, broth, thyme, and bay leaf, return the chicken to the pot, and simmer covered. 40 min

    Keep the heat low, the chicken should soften without drying out.

  4. Saute the mushrooms separately and add them to the chicken ten minutes before the end. 10 min

    Browning the mushrooms on their own keeps them from watering down the sauce.

  5. Cook the rice in salted water, then serve the chicken with the sauce and chopped parsley. 11 min

    If the sauce is too thin, remove the chicken and reduce it over high heat.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick firm white mushrooms that aren't too damp, they brown better and won't water down the sauce.
  • Taste the sauce before serving and adjust the salt, canned tomatoes vary a lot in acidity from one brand to another.
  • If you have time, make the dish a day ahead, the sauce only gets better after a night in the fridge.

The variations

  • Swap the chicken thighs for boneless thighs for a faster cook time and pieces that are easier for kids to eat.
  • For a meatless version, replace the chicken with potatoes and carrots cut into large chunks, simmered the same amount of time in the sauce.
  • To save time on a weeknight, use chicken breast cut into pieces and cut the simmering time down to 20 minutes.

What to serve it with

  • Crusty bread for the sauce
  • A simple green salad
  • Sparkling water

Storage

Chicken Marengo keeps 2 to 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container. It freezes well, without the rice, for up to 2 months. Reheat the chicken and sauce gently in a pan, adding a little water or broth if needed.

Questions about this dish

Can you replace the white wine with something else?

Yes, you can use chicken broth with a splash of lemon juice instead. The flavor will be a bit less complex, but the sauce still works well.

Do you need to debone the chicken thighs?

No, that's not necessary, bone in thighs actually add more flavor to the sauce as it simmers. You can debone them after cooking if you'd rather serve it boneless.

Can this dish be made ahead for guests?

Yes, it's actually a good idea, make the chicken and sauce the day before and reheat gently before serving. Cook the rice at the last minute so it stays fluffy.

Why brown the mushrooms separately?

Mushrooms release a lot of water as they cook, and if they cook directly in the sauce, they water it down. Browning them separately keeps their texture and concentrates their flavor.

How long does it take to make a chicken Marengo with rice?

Count 1 h 10 in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in a chicken Marengo with rice?

About 530 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 Marengo with rice cost?

About €3.10 per serving, or €12.40 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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