Chicken Marengo

Prep: 15 mins

Cook: 1 hour 15 mins

Difficulty: Intermediate

Servings: 4 Servings

This is a true one-pot French-Italian dish — kind of like chicken fricassée, but with an Italian pasta sauce. It pairs perfectly with a side of pasta or a nice glass of wine. There are several delicious riffs one can add to this dish, and I encourage you to find your own, whether it’s sliced olives (my preference), a squeeze of lemon juice or a sprinkle of zest, fresh herbs, a splash of vinegar, a shower of Pecorino Romano, capers, or even chili crisp. Chicken Marengo is quite versatile, and in that sense it’s an ever-evolving dish.

Ingredients

2 pounds bone-in chicken thighs, drumsticks, or a combination
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided, plus more as needed
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided, plus more as needed
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
8 ounces mixed fresh mushrooms, such as shiitake, oyster, and baby bella, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh parsley leaves, plus more for garnish
1 teaspoon coarsely chopped fresh oregano leaves, plus more for garnish
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (from 2 sprigs), or 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1 medium shallot, thinly sliced lengthwise
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 (14.5-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes
6 to 8 thinly sliced Castelvetrano olives (optional)
Cooked pasta or crusty bread, for serving (optional)

Instructions

5-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes and their juices, crushing and breaking up the tomatoes into small pieces with your hands as you do so.Return the chicken to the pan skin-side up in a single layer. Bring to a boil. Transfer the pan to the oven. Bake, stirring every 20 minutes and scraping the dark bits from the sides of the pan with a wooden spoon, until the sauce is thickened and darkened in color, 40 minutes to 1 hour total.Garnish with more chopped parsley, oregano, and 6 to 8 thinly sliced green Castelvetrano olives if desired. Serve with pasta or crusty bread if desired.