Chef Richard Olney's Chicken Gratin

A delightful dish of tender chicken pieces baked to perfection in a rich and creamy custard, topped with a crispy breadcrumb crust.

Ingredients

1	One 2 ½- to 3 ½-pound fryer chicken, cut up (or use all legs and thighs, or all breasts)
	Salt
2	tablespoons butter
1	large handful finely crumbled stale, but not dried, bread, crusts removed
⅓	cup white wine
¾	cup heavy cream
3	egg yolks
	Salt, pepper
3	ounces freshly grated Gruyère
	Juice of ½ lemon and deglazing liquid

Instructions

• 1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Season the chicken pieces with salt and sauté them in butter over medium heat until they are almost cooked and lightly browned on all sides, approximately 20 minutes. Add the chicken breasts halfway through. Transfer the chicken to a gratin dish, arranging them side by side.
  2. In the same pan, cook the breadcrumbs in the remaining chicken cooking butter until they are slightly crispy and lightly golden. Set them aside. Deglaze the pan with white wine, reducing it by half.
  3. In a bowl, whisk together the heavy cream, egg yolks, salt, pepper, and freshly grated Gruyère cheese. Add the lemon juice and the deglazing liquid. Pour this creamy mixture evenly over the chicken in the gratin dish. Sprinkle the surface with the prepared breadcrumbs. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the top is golden brown and the custard is set.

Jul 19, 2024