Fill in the missing ingredients if you would.

[Paper Roses]

In my youth, my Italian mother and grandmother made a chicken dish that I loved. Simple and easy. I tried it years ago(45 or so) when I was first married and my husband did not like it. He was not fond of peppers.

I am alone now and would like to try this again but have forgotten what goes into the pan. Any ideas?

Bone-in chicken breasts
Green peppers, sliced
Red peppers, sliced
Sliced onions
Cubed potatoes

Place in baking pan, drizzle with olive oil,
salt & pappier
Bake until done.

Garlic?
Anything else?

Perhaps this was some concoction of their own, but if anyone else cooks chicken like this, am I forgetting anything?

[Warpy]

1. Garlic and tomato would both be great additions

It's one of those basic flavor combinations that you just can't beat, with or without Italian or French herbs.

I bought the first whole chicken in what has to be 6 years. Poulet a l'estragon (Julia's recipe) is in the big Le Creuset pot in the oven.

It's a free range chicken and they tend to be tough little birds, so covered baking seemed like the best way to go.

I'd forgotten how much booze and butter it calls for, since I haven't made it since the early 70s.

Since I don't have port or Madeira, it'll have to make do with dry red McWine to make the brown sauce.

There's only so much alcohol a total abstainer should be expected to keep in the house.

A side of Italian green beans will do it tonight. Leftovers tomorrow might be over some homemade noodles, haven't decided yet. Chopped and frozen leftovers down the line will be a great chicken salad.

[Paper Roses]

2. Whenever a recipe calls for wine, I have to assess whether I want to

make it. I may have all the other ingredients but do I really want to drive to the store for a bottle of wine? I don't object to having it around but I am alone and really do not bother to keep alcohol around. I would not know what to have anyway.

Why so long with the chicken? It is a staple for me. For years, I have found that I have not really been fond of red meat. Since my husband died, I have rarely had any beef.

I think I'll head to my "art of" cookbook and find out what your recipe is all about.

[Warpy]

3. Alcohol gives me migraines

so I don't drink the stuff. I do keep a couple of bottles of wine around for cooking, but it tends to be dry red and dry white. I can't see loading the fridge with a bunch of specific wine that has had a cup out of it for a specific recipe and damned if I'll toss it until it's turned to vinegar.

What I'll end up with won't taste quite like Julia's, but it will still be damned good. I found fresh tarragon at the same market with the free range chickens.

I usually eat chicken breasts a couple of times a year, but most of the time I live on fish or vegetarian crapola.

[Warpy]

6. Update

What I had was merlot, still in very drinkable condition (yes I take a sip to make sure).

I've got to do this more often. The chicken was fork tender and the sauce had just enough wine in it for an undertone, but you'd never know what that was unless I told you.

I'll be eating chicken until it comes out of my ears.

[The empressof all]

4. Garlic and the layering is important

The way I make it is ....

I drizzle the bottom of the pan with olive oil...Or if you have a Misto give it a spray.

Then I layer the Potatoes and sometimes rosemary and some of the garlic. Then I layer the onions on top of the potatoes. (I slice the potatoes btw) I slice the onions very thin and use a lot of them. This way the onion juices flavor the potatoes. The chicken goes on top of the onions. This way the onions "steam" the chicken from above and the chicken juices drip down and flavor the potatoes as the onions melt. I put the peppers around the sides of the chicken as IMO they don't add much flavor in the cooking process but are just delicious on their own.

I salt and pepper each layer and usually use at least four or five cloves of garlic in this.

I seal the baking pan with aluminum foil for the first half of baking to get the juices going then uncover to get the chicken brown.

If it works the way it's suppose to you should get potatoes browned in the bottom of the pan. Very soft onions and browned and crispy chicken that's steamed in onion juices. My husband is not a huge fan of this dish either as he likes his gravy and mashed with roast chicken.

[Paper Roses]

5. That's it! Thanks, I forgot all about covering it and I was sure there

was garlic in the mix. Rosemary too. Your description is just what I need. I can put this together for a meal that will last 2 or 3 days.

Thanks a million.

[sandnsea]

8. That sounds delicious

Do you slice or chop the garlic, or does it matter. Do you brown the chicken at all or just toss it in? What would you think of adding some asparagus or cauliflower around the edges with the peppers?

[The empressof all]

9. I chop the garlic

I put half of it between the potatoes and the onions and the rest on top of the onions directly under the chicken. I don't see why you couldn't add whatever veggies you'd like. I like it with just the potatoes and onions. Most of the time I leave out the peppers.

I put the chicken in raw but at room temp skin side up. If it's not brown enough for you at the end it's no sin to stick it under the broiler for a few minutes. The trick is to use a lot of onions IMO and to slice them very thin. I use a mandolin. This way the onions melt and they release a great deal of juice. I generally use at least two large sweet onions with this dish.

Remember the trick with this dish is to carefully layer. I do a few layers of thinly sliced potatoes then dump the onions in ....then I place the chicken on top of the onions. I pack the chicken in pretty closely and if I'm using the peppers I wedge them into the sides between the chicken and the pot. My grandmother put them on top of the onions but IMO this dilutes the onion juice steaming the chicken. You can also just leave out the potatoes all together and just cook the chicken on a large bed of sliced sweet onions. Just salt, pepper, chicken and onions. It's amazing. Get the sweetest onion you can get. I use Walla walla sweets because they are local for me but Vidalias are also great.

You need to keep it covered for the first half an hour though and no peeking. Make sure you have a tight fitting lid or securely wrap the foil.

[pengillian101]

11. MMM, sounds great! n/t

[cbayer]

7. Red wine and lots of garlic for me. I make a similar dish (learned from a dear

Italian friend that uses thigh and involves slathering with honey and broiling. When done, he puts lots of freshly chopped parsley on top.

One of my favorite dishes ever.

:hi:

[Blues Heron]

10. This thread is making me very hungry!

I am so making this this week!!

[ginnyinWI]

12. I had one similar that was called Chicken Tahitian.

It had canned pineapple chunks added to everything else. It might have also had a can of cream of mushroom soup dumped over it--we did that a lot back in the 70s.

[hippywife]

13. I've heard of this dish only just recently

but have never seen it or tried it. Probably because I don't like green peppers except on occasion in Chinese food, and just as a slight accent.

Looks like everyone pitched in and helped find what you were looking for. That's one of the things that is really great about this group. When someone needs help, everyone pitches in. Everyone wants everyone else to succeed. Good juju in a group like this.

Enjoy! :hi:

[Fire1]

14. Minus the potatoes it sounds almost like chicken

cacciatore. One of my favorite dishes, btw. Of course, I add alot more seasoning.