Autumn Chicken Pot
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Chicken breasts poached with fall root vegetables in a lightly seasoned broth. Turnip, carrots, and leek mingle with celery and aromatic herbs. Finished with lemon zest and fresh tarragon for a refreshing touch. Simple, light, gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, and nut-free. Served with rustic whole wheat bread if wanted. Total cook time about 40 minutes with brief simmering stages to keep vegetables tender-crisp. Balanced savory and bright flavors.
Prep:
20 min
Cook:
25 min
Total:
45 min
Servings:
4 servings
#gluten-free
#dairy-free
#easy dinner
#autumn recipes
#French-inspired
#weeknight meals
Autumn light chicken pot. Parsnip swapped for turnip. Shallots replace onions, softened garlicky halves. Broth slowly caresses vegetables. White leek chunks linger, green chopped late for crisp. Lemon zest brightens, tarragon herbaceous twist final touch. Celery fresh crunch. No dairy, nuts, gluten, eggs. Bread rustic if you want to dip. Under an hour total. Juicy chicken, vegetables firm yet tender. Simple, direct. Years of tradition remix. Fall bounty in a gentle bowl.
Ingredients
- 1 large parsnip, peeled and cut into thin wedges
- 3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced thick
- 1 leek, white part cut into thick rounds; green sliced finely
- 2 small shallots, peeled and halved
- 4 cloves of garlic, peeled and halved
- 2 liters chicken stock
- 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
- 2 stalks celery, finely sliced
- zest of 1 lemon
- 5 ml fresh tarragon leaves
- Salt and black pepper
About the ingredients
Parsnip introduces sweetness replacing some turnip scarcity. Shallots mellower, garlic halved so flavor seeps slowly. Dividing leek white and green parts preserves texture layers. Reduced carrots keep sweetness balanced. Chicken breasts quick cook, lean. Celery diced to join at end crisp. Lemon zest preferred over juice, tactical fragrance. Fresh tarragon herbal punch late addition. Chicken stock base essential, not plain water to build layers. Maintaining gluten, dairy, nut, egg free profile. Bread rustic, optional. Ingredient proportion tweaked to bring new interplay to old classic.
Method
- Start by bringing the parsnip, carrots, white leek, shallots, and garlic to a boil in the chicken stock. Maintain medium heat and cook for about 12 minutes. Season with salt and pepper now.
- Slide in the chicken breasts; poach gently for 15 minutes or until fully cooked, vegetables tender but not mushy.
- Add the sliced green leek and celery; simmer another 3 minutes so they stay crisp-tender.
- Turn off heat. Stir in lemon zest and fresh tarragon leaves just before serving.
- Slice chicken, arrange with vegetables. Bread optional but recommended for soaking broth.
Cooking tips
Root vegetables with white leek simmer gently till nearly tender. Season early. Add chicken, poach just long enough. Introduce green leek, celery last few minutes. Remove from heat. Add zest and tarragon right before serving to capture aroma and avoid bitterness. Slice chicken thin. Serve with bread optional. Timing key to keep textures sharp or soft as desired. Minimal stirring, low heat crucial for balance.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Start veggies in cold chicken stock, not water, to build depth from the start. Keep heat medium, gentle simmer avoids mushy veggies. Salt early, it seasons base, helps root soften evenly. Parsnip wedges work better than cubes, keep shape while cooking. Carrots thick sliced for texture contrast, avoid too soft. White leek adds sweetness, goes in first. Shallots halved, milder than onions, less pungent but add body.
- 💡 Chicken breasts trimmed of skin, boneless for faster cook time, poach gently. Avoid boiling after adding chicken or it turns tough. Keep simmer low, no rolling boil. Turnip replaced by parsnip here for natural sweetness, balances carrot notes. Garlic halves seep flavor slowly, avoid crushing to reduce bitterness. Add green leek at end, short cook keeps crunch intact. Celery sliced very thin, last few minutes preserve crispness and add fresh texture contrast.
- 💡 Lemon zest, not juice, for fragrance without diluting broth, add last moment off heat. Fresh tarragon critical, dried can overpower or lose herbal brightness. Stir herbs in just before serving. Minimal stirring during poaching avoids breaking veggies. Timing tight: 12 minutes simmer veggies, 15 minutes chicken poach, 3 minutes vegetables last additions. Overcooked changes texture, undercooked tastes raw. Slice chicken thin, helps blend textures on plate.
- 💡 Bread optional but recommended for soaking broth. Choose rustic whole wheat or dense grains to hold broth well. Toast or warm quickly for better soak. No fats added beyond natural chicken juice, keep savory bright. Using chicken stock not water to build layers of flavor. Timing counts. Check vegetables gently with fork, tender but crisp. Keep broth gently simmering, simmer not boil. Salt and pepper adjusted multiple times for balance.
- 💡 Adding delicate greens late keeps color and bite. Broth flavor shifts if lemon juice added. Garlic halved, releases slow aroma over time but no bitterness. Parsnip sweet notes deepen broth base compared to turnip. Celery’s fine dice helps texture contrast without overt crunch. Avoid over stirring or rolling boil to keep shape distinct. Low heat poach chicken gentle, juicy results, avoid dryness. Serve immediately for best texture and aroma.
Common questions
Can I use chicken thighs instead?
Yes thighs, but timing changes. Thicker, longer cook needed. Might alter broth richness. Watch tenderness carefully. Could brown first or poach slower to keep juicy meat.
Why lemon zest not juice?
Juice adds liquid, thins broth, changes balance. Zest adds oils, bright aroma without wetness. Keeps broth clear, flavors sharp. Zest last to keep freshness. Juice can overpower flavors if cooked in.
How to keep veggies crisp?
Timings strict; add green leek and celery last 3 mins only. Don’t stir much, simmer gently. Overcooking makes mushy. Slice carrots thick, parsnip wedges for bite. Remove heat promptly after final simmer.
Can I store leftovers?
Yes chill broth and meat separate or together. Broth tastes better next day but veggies soften. Reheat gently to avoid tough chicken. Freeze broth without bread. Defrost slow to keep textures.
