Rooster Marengo

Rooster Marengo is a French-inspired recipe with golden pan-seared hen breasts topped with juicy tomatoes and mushrooms. It’s saucy, a bit spicy, and an entire lot of scrumptious!

When you love this hen recipe, attempt my simple coq au vin, pan-fried hen paillard, and saucy hen Dijon, subsequent.

Four seasoned chicken breasts topped with tomato mushroom sauce and served on a patterned platter.

This Rooster Marengo recipe has completely seasoned, pan-seared hen breasts completed off with a heaping pile of juicy tomatoes and mushrooms. I’ve been making this dish since I traveled to New York Metropolis years in the past on a running a blog journey hosted by Hunt’s Tomatoes. Whereas there, I used to be SO impressed, I believe I cooked with tomatoes for a couple of week afterward.

Rooster Marengo is a French-inspired hen dinner loaded with taste and a touch of spice, good for winter cooking. Have you learnt that Dominican dance, the Merengue? That’s what your tastebuds will likely be doing after a chunk of Rooster Marengo! 💃

A serving of Chicken Marengo is cut into slices and is served next to a side of steamed broccoli on a plate.

Why Is It Referred to as Rooster Marengo?

I little little bit of Googling reveals that Rooster Marengo was named after the Battle of Marengo, received by Napolean within the 1800’s. Some say that the recipe originated again then. The extra seemingly story is that it was invented in Paris by a chef honoring Napoleon’s win. Both means, it’s no surprise this hen has stood the take a look at of time. It’s saucy, scrumptious, and simply spicy sufficient to maintain you wanting extra.

Chicken Marengo ingredients with text labels overlaying each ingredient.

Elements You’ll Want

Rooster Marengo is a bit just like the French relative of hen cacciatore. The tomato mushroom sauce on this recipe wants just some simple elements, and it packs loads of taste onto a plate. Listed below are some notes on what you’ll want. Scroll all the way down to the recipe card for a printable elements listing with the total recipe quantities and particulars.

Olive Oil – Additional virgin olive oil, or related, for pan-searing the hen.
Rooster – I make this recipe with boneless, skinless hen breasts. Any form of hen will work, boneless or bone-in, breasts or thighs. Bone-in hen takes a bit longer to prepare dinner.
Cayenne Pepper – For that signature spicy Marengo kick. Be happy to adapt the quantity of cayenne pepper to style. You may as well go away it out if you happen to’re delicate to spice.
Onion and Garlic – Diced yellow onion, however shallots additionally work nicely right here, and I used freshly minced garlic.
Tomatoes – A simple shortcut is canned diced tomatoes, together with the juices. I really like the sweeter taste of San Marzano tomatoes.
Rooster Broth – I wish to prepare dinner with low-sodium hen broth or inventory. Vegetable inventory is an efficient substitute.
Mushrooms – These may be any kind of mushroom you’d like. White button mushrooms, Child Bella mushrooms, or brown mushrooms are all good selections. Slice them up earlier than you begin.
Flour – All-purpose flour helps to thicken the sauce. You possibly can substitute the flour with ½ the quantity of cornstarch if wanted.
Recent Herbs – For a garnish, I like to make use of recent basil sliced into ribbons and chopped parsley.

The way to Make Rooster Marengo

It doesn’t take a lot to tug off some severely saucy tomato magic on this Rooster Marengo recipe. When you wished to, you may even make it a one-pan meal and prepare dinner the hen and tomato mushroom sauce in the identical skillet (hen first, then the sauce). Comply with the step-by-step right here:

Four cooked seasoned chicken breasts in a cast iron skillet. — 1. Sear the hen.

Prepare dinner the hen. Coat the hen breasts on all sides with cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper. Then, sear the hen in a sizzling pan with oil, about 10 minutes per facet, till it’s golden and cooked via. See my range high hen breasts recipe for searing suggestions.
Make the sauce. Subsequent, get your onions sautéeing in a lidded skillet, and stir within the garlic. Add the tomatoes and hen broth, then season to style and convey the sauce to a low simmer. Place the lid over the pan and prepare dinner for quarter-hour.
End it up. Whisk the flour into the sauce, cowl once more, and let that simmer and thicken for five minutes. Lastly, stir within the basil and parsley, and take the pan off the warmth.
Serve. Prepare your seared hen on a serving platter. Spoon the saucy tomatoes and mushrooms over high, and serve!

Get a Head Begin

A simple option to reduce down on prep time and have dinner on the desk sooner is to prepare dinner the hen forward of time. I’ve made Rooster Marengo a couple of instances when I’ve leftover baked hen breasts within the fridge. On this case, merely reheat the hen within the pan or oven when you whip up the tomato mushroom sauce. Function traditional, and voilà!

Close-up shot of chicken breasts topped with mushrooms, tomatoes, and fresh basil.

Ideas and Variations

Don’t overcook the hen. Use an instant-read thermometer to take the temperature of the hen on the thickest a part of the breast. Rooster is cooked when the inner temperature reads 165ºF.
Adapt the warmth. This hen recipe has a delicate but spicy warmth because of the cayenne pepper. When you’re not one for spice, it’s fantastic to skip it. However, if you happen to like your hen Marengo on the fiery facet, amp up the cayenne, add chili flakes, or cube up recent chilies to simmer within the sauce. You may as well attempt canned fire-roasted tomatoes rather than common diced tomatoes.
Exchange the broth with wine. Typically, I wish to go half and half with hen broth and purple wine for a richer taste within the sauce. I like to recommend a dry purple, like Cabernet Sauvignon or Pinot Noir, or dry sherry. You may as well fully exchange the broth with wine if you happen to choose.
Make it briny. Attempt a variation of this recipe known as Rooster Provençal, cooked with purple wine, capers, black olives, and anchovies. You may also like this baked hen marbella.

Serving Strategies

Conventional hen Marengo recipes name for crayfish and fried egg as a garnish. I go away these out of this weeknight-ready model. If you wish to go the genuine route, you’ll be able to completely fry up an egg and end off this dish with lobster on the facet. I’ve additionally served this hen at dinner events with a giant pot of French bouillabaisse to share with the desk.

Most nights, I serve juicy hen Marengo with an additional facet of veggies, like steamed broccoli or roasted asparagus, and fluffy dinner rolls to take in the leftover sauce. Lighten issues up with a recent Caesar salad, and take a look at a slice of pear cake for a candy end.

Overhead view of a serving of Chicken Marengo next to a side of steamed broccoli on a plate, next to a fork and knife, with a second plate nearby.

The way to Retailer and Reheat Rooster

Refrigerate. Leftover hen Marengo may be saved with the sauce in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 3 days.
Reheat. Heat the hen in a skillet or the oven till it’s sizzling all through. I at all times discover leftover hen will get a bit rubbery when it’s reheated within the microwave, however it’ll work in a pinch.
Freeze. Retailer the cooled hen in a freezer-safe container and freeze it for as much as 2 months. Thaw it within the fridge in a single day earlier than reheating.

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Prep the hen. Season hen breasts with cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper on all sides.
Prepare dinner the hen. Warmth 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium warmth in a nonstick heavy-bottomed skillet. Add the hen to the recent oil and prepare dinner till the perimeters are opaque, about 10 minutes. Flip to the opposite facet, cowl the pan, decrease the warmth, and prepare dinner for an additional 8 to 10 minutes, or till completed. Then, set them apart.
Sauté. Within the meantime, warmth 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high warmth in a big skillet. Add onions and prepare dinner for 3 minutes. Stir in garlic and proceed to prepare dinner for 20 to 30 seconds, or till aromatic.
Make the sauce. Add tomatoes and hen broth; season with salt and pepper and convey to a boil. Decrease to a simmer, cowl the pot, and proceed to prepare dinner for quarter-hour.
Add mushrooms. Take away the lid and add the sliced mushrooms.
Thicken the sauce. Add the flour and stir till fully mixed. Cowl with the lid and proceed to prepare dinner for five extra minutes to thicken.
End it up. Stir in basil and parsley, and take the pot off the warmth. Style for seasonings and alter accordingly.
Serve. Switch the ready hen breasts to a serving plate. High the hen with the ready sauce, and serve.

Dietary information is an estimate and supplied as courtesy. Values could range in line with the elements and instruments used. Please use your most well-liked dietary calculator for extra detailed information.