Ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise… For tender and tasty chicken, change up the classics and prepare sauces that will really make the difference.
The benefit of seasoning chicken
Cooked well, the chicken is both tender and flavorful. The magic ingredient to achieve this result? The sauce. Liquid, it provides moisture to the chicken flesh. We know that in sauce, the tenderness of chicken is transformed into pure wonder. The little extra? The sauce balances the flavors between the chicken and its accompaniments, for example perfectly combining new potatoes with roast chicken.
Avoid the chicken being dry
To keep the chicken as dry as possible, even without sauce, it's all a question of technique. When cooking chicken breasts in a pan, opt for cooking over medium heat, for no more than 10 minutes. In the oven, whether whole or not, be sure to baste the chicken regularly with its juices. This way you will prevent the chicken from drying out.
What sauce for my chicken?
There are many sauces to accompany chicken, depending on preference and desired recipe. Among the most popular are lemon, teriyaki, barbecue, cream, curry, and many others.
Chicken juice: the classic sauce
The classic sauce par excellence for chicken is its juice, quite simply. It is prepared with the chicken cooking juices which are deglazed with broth, white wine, water or even butter, as desired. While some stop there, others thicken the sauce with a little flour or cornstarch. For the final touch, a few herbs, spices, or chopped garlic will spice things up very well. An ideal sauce to accompany roast chicken.
White wine sauce: the traditional one
White wine sauce is often used to accompany chicken. For four people, plan on 250g of sliced mushrooms, 2 finely chopped shallots, 80ml of white wine and 250ml of cream. In a pan, bring everything to a boil, without the cream. Once the mushrooms are cooked, add the cream. Pour over chicken on plate. For a “mushroom-free” version, we offer you the recipe for Mémé Cocard’s delicious creamed chicken. In this case, once the white wine has been added to your chicken preparation, let it simmer for 1 hour, then pour in the crème fraîche mixed with a beaten egg yolk. Remove from heat. Serve the chicken hot.
Tomato sauce: simplicity
With a tomato cream sauce, make divine creamy chicken pasta. An essential combination of tomato and cream that works every time. The flavors blend together perfectly, the creaminess of the sauce in contact with the pasta and pieces of chicken creates a single texture. Also, the tomato is the essential ingredient in the preparation of Basquaise chicken.
Soy sauce: for a marinade
Soy sauce is ideal for marinating chicken before cooking, to simply pour over cooked chicken or to prepare teriyaki chicken. An Asian preparation of chicken breast, to integrate into a bowl of rice and some grilled vegetables, to prepare a vitamin-packed poke bowl!
Cream sauce: the essential
Crème fraîche goes well with any sauce, wine, curry or tomato, but on its own it is also divine. For example, to the pan, once the chicken breasts are cooked, add the cream. In contact with the still hot pan, let the cream thicken and soak the chicken. Add some herbs of your choice or spices, like cumin, and that's it.
Lemon sauce: a touch of freshness
Whether it's lemon zest directly pressed on the chicken, a roast chicken with candied lemon and potatoes or a sauce prepared with lemon juice, this citrus fruit is the ultimate freshness tip. 2 tbsp. tablespoons of olive oil, 2 of lemon juice, salt and a few herbs, and it's ready. All you have to do is pour. Also, you can add a few drops of soy sauce (salty or sweet, depending on your preference) or nuoc-mâm, an essential Asian sauce for tasting baked spring rolls!
Barbecue sauce: for grilling
In a simple version, barbecue sauce accompanies some chicken nuggets. In the processed version, it is perfect for grilling or roasting chicken. Both smoky and sweet, the barbecue sauce is brushed on the chicken just before going on the grill.
Curry sauce: the famous
Chicken curry with rice… yum! After browning a chopped onion and a few chicken breasts in a pan, add curry, 2 tbsp. tablespoon of crème fraîche and some herbs. Let everything come back, thicken and your chicken curry is ready. To replace the cream, pour in a little coconut milk. For a variation, the curry sauce also comes in curry mayonnaise!
Honey sauce: the gourmet one
A caramelized chicken with honey and roasted carrots should not leave you indifferent. For a sauce to brush directly on the chicken, allow 3 tbsp. tablespoons of honey, 3 of olive oil, 2 of soy sauce, mix everything, it's ready. This sauce can also be prepared without soy sauce, with lemon juice instead. Ideal for preparing a classic roast chicken with honey, lemon and spices.
Recipes to try urgently!
