Colonel Sanders move over, this isn’t KFC fried.
Years ago after having my first son, I started working part time at KFC in Louisville, KY. Now I wasn’t slinging hash at one of the storefronts, I worked in the marketing department at the KFC headquarters. I would see the Colonel himself walking the hallways and on occasion our department would get a call and someone was asked to come down and do a tasting of new recipes. I remember sitting in a little stall and someone would push a plate of chicken through a window and I was to taste and answer questions about the product. What a job!
On another occasion we ate at his restaurant, (Claudia Sanders Dinner House) out in Shelbyville, KY. I remember the food being served family style not at all like the KFC you would go in and grab a bucket of chicken to go. Everything here was served family style and I remember feeling like I was sitting in someone’s home. The restaurant burned in 1999 and it has been rebuilt, I think, losing some of its charm. On the particular evening we were there, as we were leaving, The Colonel came to his back porch and waved to the guests leaving his restaurant; I thought that was so cool. It didn’t take much to excite me in those days.
I eventually gave up that job in the marketing department at KFC but never forgot the memories of working there and seeing all the beautiful antiques in the building and occasionally running into The Colonel.
This chicken recipe isn’t fried because I could never measure up to KFC’s standards on fried chicken (or my mother’s). When I saw this Mustardy Chicken Dijon Stew (not really a stew) in a 2011 issue of Food and Wine I knew exactly how I was going to serve it; in a shallow soup/pasta bowl on top of a pile of parsley mashed potatoes or even my Mashed Cauliflower with Kale would be wonderful. I’m trying the mashed potatoes first (because I love mashed potatoes and don’t get them that often). I think the mustard stew surrounding the potatoes and legs will make a great presentation; a side salad and some crusty bread will finish off the meal.
(For Carb Friendly meal skip the mashed potatoes or do mashed cauliflower.
I will use chicken thighs the next time I do this dish. These were suppose to be “young” legs but they must have been pumped full of growth hormones before going to the grocery.
Toast the coriander seeds.
Crush the seeds in the mortar and pestle.
Brown the chicken legs until browned on all sides. I covered mine to make sure they were done all the way through. Then add the onion and then garlic.
Add the sour cream or creme fraiche to the brown and whisk until it thickens a little. Add the chicken legs back in and turn to coat. Simmer for about 5-7 minutes longer.
Serve the chicken and mustard gravy on top of mashed potatoes or you could do a cous cous or rice.
- 3/4 – 1 tsp. coriander seeds*
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 8 medium chicken drumsticks (about 3 lbs.)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 c. finely chopped onion
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 1/2 c. low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 Tbsp. whole-grain mustard
- 3 Tbsp. creme fraiche or sour cream
- 2 tsp. chopped tarragon
- crusty bread, for serving
- n a large skillet, toast the coriander seeds over moderately high heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Transfer the seeds to a mortar and let cool. Crush the seeds coarsely with a pestle.
- In the same skillet, heat the olive oil until shimmering. Season the chicken drumsticks with salt and pepper, add them to the skillet and cook over moderately high heat, turning until golden brown all over, about 15 minutes. (I ended up covering the skillet because I didn’t think the huge legs would cook all the way through.) Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the broth and crushed coriander and bring to a boil. Cover and cook over moderately low heat until the chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes.
- Transfer the chicken to a platter, cover and keep warm. In a small bowl, whisk the mustard with the creme fraiche and tarragon. Whisk the mixture into the skillet and simmer the sauce over moderate heat until thickened, about 5 minutes. Return the chicken to the skillet and turn to coat. Serve the chicken with crusty bread.
- When I mashed the potatoes I added canned evaporated milk, butter and some freshly chopped parsley.
- I put a big scoop of mashed potatoes in my bowl and top with the chicken leg and some of the mustard gravy.
- Make ahead: The stew can be refrigerated for up to 3 days
No Comments