Basque Chicken
Hearty Basque chicken with sausage, saffron rice, and vegetable ragout. Make ahead tips, substitutions, and simple reheating steps.
This recipe is courtesy of one of our Milwaukee customers.
Yield: 4-6
- Brown chicken and sausage, then simmer with broth, wine, saffron, and aromatics until tender.
- Cook rice using 2 cups of the braising liquid for extra flavor, then serve chicken and sausage over rice with ragout.
- Make-ahead: cool and refrigerate the chicken and reserved broth; reheat in oven and finish rice just before serving.
Preparation Instructions:
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More About This Recipe
Frequently Asked Questions
What cut of chicken works best for this recipe?
Use bone-in pieces like thighs and drumsticks for the best flavor and moistness. You can use skinless, boneless breasts to reduce fat and make it easier to eat, but shorten the cooking time so they do not dry out.
Can I substitute the sweet Italian sausage?
Yes. Swap with chorizo, andouille, or smoked kielbasa for a different flavor. If you prefer less fat, use a lean chicken sausage or omit the sausage and add smoked ham or bacon for depth.
What can I use if I do not have saffron?
Saffron has a unique aroma, but you can use 1/4 teaspoon turmeric for color or 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika for a smoky note. Neither will fully match saffron, but they will add pleasing color and flavor.
How do I replace the dry white wine if I want no alcohol?
Replace the wine with an equal amount of chicken broth plus 1 tablespoon lemon juice or white wine vinegar to add brightness. You can also use a nonalcoholic white wine.
How should I cook the rice using the reserved braising liquid?
Remove 2 cups of the hot pan liquid to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Add 1 cup of uncooked white rice, return to a boil, then lower heat, cover, and simmer 15 to 18 minutes until tender.
Can I make this recipe ahead of time and how do I reheat it?
Yes. Cook the chicken and collect the broth, then cool and refrigerate up to 3 days. Reheat chicken in a 325 F oven covered until it reaches 165 F, and make the rice fresh with the reserved broth just before serving. You can freeze cooked components up to 2 months; thaw overnight before reheating.
How can I reduce the dish's fat without losing flavor?
Use skinless chicken pieces, choose lean sausage or turkey sausage, and drain fat after browning the sausage. Use a single tablespoon of oil for browning and add aromatic herbs and saffron to keep flavor high.
What should I serve with Basque chicken?
Serve over the saffron rice with the vegetable ragout spooned around it. Add a simple green salad, roasted vegetables, or crusty bread. A dry white wine or light red pairs nicely.
What cut of chicken works best for this recipe?
Use bone-in pieces like thighs and drumsticks for the best flavor and moistness. You can use skinless, boneless breasts to reduce fat and make it easier to eat, but shorten the cooking time so they do not dry out.
Can I substitute the sweet Italian sausage?
Yes. Swap with chorizo, andouille, or smoked kielbasa for a different flavor. If you prefer less fat, use a lean chicken sausage or omit the sausage and add smoked ham or bacon for depth.
What can I use if I do not have saffron?
Saffron has a unique aroma, but you can use 1/4 teaspoon turmeric for color or 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika for a smoky note. Neither will fully match saffron, but they will add pleasing color and flavor.
How do I replace the dry white wine if I want no alcohol?
Replace the wine with an equal amount of chicken broth plus 1 tablespoon lemon juice or white wine vinegar to add brightness. You can also use a nonalcoholic white wine.
How should I cook the rice using the reserved braising liquid?
Remove 2 cups of the hot pan liquid to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Add 1 cup of uncooked white rice, return to a boil, then lower heat, cover, and simmer 15 to 18 minutes until tender.
Can I make this recipe ahead of time and how do I reheat it?
Yes. Cook the chicken and collect the broth, then cool and refrigerate up to 3 days. Reheat chicken in a 325 F oven covered until it reaches 165 F, and make the rice fresh with the reserved broth just before serving. You can freeze cooked components up to 2 months; thaw overnight before reheating.
How can I reduce the dish's fat without losing flavor?
Use skinless chicken pieces, choose lean sausage or turkey sausage, and drain fat after browning the sausage. Use a single tablespoon of oil for browning and add aromatic herbs and saffron to keep flavor high.
What should I serve with Basque chicken?
Serve over the saffron rice with the vegetable ragout spooned around it. Add a simple green salad, roasted vegetables, or crusty bread. A dry white wine or light red pairs nicely.
I made this last night. The only things I did differently was I added some cooked wild rice into the cooked white rice as I love the nutty flavor and added texture. I too added onions to the pepper ragout and only used red, yellow, and orange peppers (green peppers, to me, are too strong in the green pepper flavor – the other colors are milder and sweeter). I also made the ragout a day in advance as most ragout is better the next day. My family loved it! Definitely a “do again” recipe. Thanks, The Spice House! https://www.dropbox.com/s/9xwj78jy3zzru5z/2014-04-17%2019.11.43.jpg
Favorite recipe that I often make for extended family. I use equal parts of hot sausages to chicken (and I use thighs), which I brown in bacon drippings. For the ragout I saute onions in olive oil before sauteing the peppers. The first time that my sister Katie tried it without onions, she complained that her ragout lacked the sweetness of my ragout.