Chicken "En Papillote"
When in France...
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There is something incredibly satisfying about making simple food look fancy. Like you’ve become a trickster.
And is there anything fancier than giving every person around the table their own little parcel that, once opened emits clouds of gorgeously scented steam and reveals beautifully cooked food inside?
For this woman who grew up on frozen burgers and chips, I think not.
I ended up in Nantes in northern France the other day. A quick pit stop on the way to Croatia.
I knew that Nantes had a reputation for great wine. After all, it’s the epicenter of one of the world’s most underrated wines, Muscadet. But I had no idea how obsessed they are with food.
Once I was presented with a seemingly infinite number of grocers, butchers, and wine shops, it only seemed fitting that we stayed at home one night to cook.
I took a peek into the cupboards of my Airbnb and found some baking parchment. My brain sparked with the idea of chicken en papillote.
En papillote literally means “in foil.” It’s a traditional French way of cooking protein and vegetables which traps steam inside a small parcel of baking paper which prevents any drying-out issues.
Like I say, it looks pretty fancy but it’s actually incredibly simple. So much so, I managed it in an Airbnb.
I chose chicken for my protein and layered up cooked onions and garlic, seared chicken legs, rosemary, and lemon into a square of baking parchment. The onions became amazingly sweet and soft as they cooked under the chicken.
I roasted potatoes and carrots to accompany them.
The best thing about papillote cooking is that it’s not only confined to meat. Vegetables love the treatment as does fish. I’ve given some ideas for those of you who don’t eat chicken in the variations section.
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Serves 4
4 free-range chicken legs — the best you can afford