Top 31 French Poultry Dishes

Poulet rôti is a classic French dish that translates to "roast chicken." The preparation involves seasoning a whole chicken with herbs, garlic, and butter before roasting it to perfection. The result is a flavorful, golden-brown chicken with a crispy skin and juicy, tender meat. This dish is often served with roasted vegetables and potatoes, making it a comforting and satisfying meal. Poulet rôti is a staple in French cuisine, showcasing simple yet exquisite flavors, and very popular Sunday dish.Expand

This dish of flash-seared duck breast dates back to the late 1950s, when French chef André Daguin first prepared a magret like a steak and served it medium-rare. The meat is usually served thinly sliced and still slightly pink on the inside. The cut of the breast usually comes from the mulard duck, a cross between the Pekin and the Muscovy duck. This breed is raised for foie gras, so its breast meat is thicker and more flavorful than that of other duck breeds. In the mid-1960s, rare duck breast became extremely popular in the United States thanks to Robert Daley, an American journalist who praised Daguin’s specialty in The New York Times. Today, magret de canard can be found on tables throughout France, both in restaurants and private homes.Expand

This French classic is made by slow-roasting duck meat in its own fat. What was once used as a method of preserving meat in times before refrigeration is nowadays enjoyed as a rich and flavorful dish of its own. The meat is typically seasoned with salt, pepper, and fresh herbs and spices such as thyme and bay leaves. Traditionally, duck confit is cooked in a copper pot over a fire for up to 24 hours, in order for the fat to render and cover the meat. After cooking, while still hot, the meat and the fat are poured into jars and sealed tightly so that the dish can be stored for later use. The name confit stems from the past participle of the French verb confire, meaning to preserve. Duck confit is so rich and savory that it is usually served on its own, without sauce. However, a side of puy lentils makes an excellent accompaniment to this dish.Expand

Along with coq au Riesling, coq au vin jaune is another variation on the classic coq au vin. Instead of red wine, coq au vin jaune incorporates yellow or white wine. The best vin jaune is found in the French region of Jura, but any yellow or white wine can be used instead of it. Light and sweet flavors and various colors make it a great summer dish, although the classic coq au vin is considered a typical winter dish. Morel mushrooms are commonly used in the preparation of coq au vin jaune, giving it a unique flavor and aroma. It is recommended to pair the dish with a glass of light white wine on the side.Expand

This classic peasant stew hails from the French region of Burgundy. This dish is the perfect showcase for the harmonious coexistence of its two main ingredients – coq, or rooster, and vin, or wine, in this case a bold, rustic red wine. The rooster is cut into sections and combined with rooster's blood, onions, carrots, garlic, thyme, bay leaves, parsley, mushrooms, salt, pepper, and a hefty dose of red wine. The ingredients are then slowly cooked over low heat until the meat becomes tender. One of the first documented recipes for coq au vin dates back to 1913, when the French natural philosopher and zoologist Mathurin Jacques Brisson stumbled upon the dish in the Chaîne des Puys region. Julia Child later popularized the recipe among English-speaking audiences on her TV program The French Chef. This simple "drunk chicken" dish is often accompanied by steamed or boiled parsley potatoes or buttered noodles.Expand

Canard aux cerises is a traditional dish made with duck and sour cherries as the main ingredients. Other ingredients include carrots, onions, duck fat (or lard), white wine, seasonings, and aromatic herbs such as bay leaves, parsley, celery, and thyme. The duck is browned in fat with the carrots and onions over very low heat. The wine, herbs, and seasonings are added to the pot, followed by water, until the duck is fully immersed. The dish is simmered until the meat becomes tender, and the duck is then removed, the fat and the juices are skimmed and strained, then returned to the pot with sour cherries. Before serving, the duck is carved, while the sauce and the cherries are ladled over the meat. Expand

Canard à l'orange is a traditional dish in which a duck is roasted, then served with a rich brown sauce that's flavored with sugar and orange juice. The dish is typically made with a duck breast known as Magret – which comes from a force-fed duck that was raised for the production of foie gras. This type of duck breast is a bit bigger, about twice the size of a normal duck breast. The duck should be cooked so that it still remains pink on the inside, and the accompanying sauce consists of red wine vinegar, orange juice, sugar, chicken stock, and sugar. The dish is usually garnished with orange pieces on the side. It is believed that canard à l'orange was exported to France by Catherine de Medici. However, some believe that the dish goes back to ancient Middle East, as typical meals from that area often pair meat with fruit.Expand

An Alsatian version of the classic coq au vin, known as coq au Riesling is a dish consisting of chicken, mushrooms, onion, lardons, and dry Riesling wine from Alsace, recognized as one of the best wines in the world. It is said that the dish is even better when reheated the next day due to the flavors that deepen when left in the fridge overnight. The chicken can be served over egg noodles, white rice, boiled potatoes, or the more traditional spätzle, making for a great comfort dish, especially on a cold winter's night.Expand

Poulet chasseur (lit. Hunter's chicken) is a traditional chicken dish originating from France. The dish is usually made with a combination of chicken, shallots, mushrooms, garlic, butter, salt, pepper, oil, flour, chicken stock, tomatoes, thyme, parsley, and dry white wine. The chicken pieces are seasoned with salt and pepper and browned in oil before they're removed from the pan. Butter is added, and the onions are cooked in the same pan until translucent. Next, mushrooms, salt, and garlic are added to the pan and sautéed with the onions. Flour, white wine, stock, tomatoes, thyme, and chicken are then placed in the pan, and the dish is simmered until everything is tender and fully cooked. Parsley and black pepper are added near the end of cooking, and the dish is then ready to be enjoyed, ideally with mashed potatoes on the side. It's recommended to pair the dish with a glass of bold red wine.Expand

Poulet au cidre is a traditional dish from the region of Brittany. It's made with a combination of chicken breasts, onions, apples, butter, cream, nutmeg, and hard cider, preferably from the region. The onions and apples are sautéed in butter, and the chicken is then browned and combined with the cider. The combination is simmered until the cider is reduced, and the cream is then added so that the sauce develops the right consistency. The dish is seasoned with nutmeg, salt, and pepper, and it's served in a way that the chicken is covered with the velvety apple-and-onion sauce. This easy and delicious dish is not particularly visually appealing, but locals say it's the flavors that matter, which is something we all might agree on. If desired, serve poulet au cidre with mashed potatoes or green beans on the side.Expand