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Meat, Northern, Eastern and Western France

French grandmother’s chicken pot roast

French grandmother's chicken pot roast is a whole chicken browned in a Dutch oven with bacon lardons, pearl onions, mushrooms and potatoes, serving 4. It takes 1h15 and stays easy to make, for about €3.50 per serving. The key is adding the potatoes partway through so they cook in the juices and pick up all the flavor.

Tonight, grandmother's chicken pot roast, browned with bacon lardons, mushrooms, pearl onions and tender potatoes.

French grandmother’s chicken pot roast
Total time
1 h 15
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€3.50
Calories per person
590 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Fall, Spring
The kids
They generally like it

This chicken pot roast is all about crisp golden skin, meat that falls off the bone, and potatoes that soak up the pan juices while they finish cooking alongside the mushrooms and pearl onions. The bacon lardons bring a smoky edge, while thyme and bay leaf add a gentle background flavor that never overpowers the chicken.

It's the kind of dish for a lazy Sunday, left to simmer in its pot while you get on with other things, but it also works on a weeknight if you start it early enough. Kids recognize the chicken and potatoes they already love, and guests appreciate a generous pot set right in the middle of the table.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Whole chicken 1.5 kg
  • Smoked bacon lardons 150 g

Fruits and vegetables

  • White mushrooms 250 g
  • Pearl onions 250 g
  • Potatoes 800 g

Dairy

  • Butter 40 g

Pantry

  • Thymeoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Bay leafoften in the pantry 1
  • Chicken brothoften in the pantry 10 cl
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Allergens Lactose

The step by step recipe

  1. Brown the chicken on all sides in the butter, in a Dutch oven. 12 min

    Use a cast iron pot, it spreads the heat evenly.

  2. Remove the chicken, then cook the bacon and pearl onions in the fat left behind. 6 min

    Keep that fat in the pot, it carries a lot of flavor.

  3. Put the chicken back in, add thyme, bay leaf and broth, cover and let simmer over low heat. 30 min

    Baste the chicken with the juices from time to time.

  4. Add the peeled potatoes, cut into large chunks, along with the mushrooms. 30 min

    Stir gently so the potatoes don't break apart.

  5. Let rest for 5 minutes, carve the chicken and serve in the pot with the vegetables. 5 min

    Spoon the pan juices over everything right before serving.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick a waxy potato, like Yukon Gold, so it holds its shape in the juices instead of falling apart.
  • Hold off on salt early on, the bacon and chicken broth already bring plenty.
  • Let the chicken rest for a full 5 minutes before carving, the meat stays juicier that way.

The variations

  • Swap the white mushrooms for wild mushrooms in the fall, for a deeper, earthier flavor.
  • For a meatless version, replace the chicken with a whole large cauliflower and skip the bacon, keeping the same cooking juices.
  • To save time, cut the chicken into pieces before browning, this cuts the pot cooking time by about 15 minutes.

What to serve it with

  • A green salad with vinaigrette
  • Crusty bread for the juices
  • A glass of apple juice

Storage

This chicken pot roast keeps 2 to 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container. It freezes well for up to 2 months, chicken and vegetables together in their juices. Reheat gently in a pan or pot with a splash of broth so the potatoes don't dry out.

Questions about this dish

Can you make chicken pot roast ahead of time?

Yes, you can make it the day before and reheat it gently the next day. It often tastes even better once the flavors have had time to blend.

Can you swap out the pearl onions?

You can use quartered yellow onions if you don't have pearl onions on hand. The flavor is a bit stronger but the dish still works well.

Do you need a whole chicken, or will pieces work?

A whole chicken gives more tenderness and a richer sauce, but thighs or drumsticks work too. Just cut the cooking time by about 15 minutes.

How do you know when the chicken is fully cooked?

Pierce the thickest part of the thigh, the juices should run clear with no pink. If needed, let it simmer a few more minutes over low heat.

How long does it take to make a French grandmother's chicken pot roast?

Count 1 h 15 in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in a French grandmother's chicken pot roast?

About 590 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 French grandmother's chicken pot roast cost?

About €3.50 per serving, or €14.00 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains lactose. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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