Who has never heard of chicken basquaise, Basque chicken or chicken Basque? This emblematic dish from the Basque Country is even known throughout the world. If you visit the Basque Country, you will often see it on the menus of traditional inns and restaurants, next to the Basque cake and piperade.
This is the real chicken Basquaise recipe, as it is prepared in Basque and Landes families.
FAQ on chicken basquaise.
It’s a traditional dish made of chicken simmered in a piperade.
Basque chicken originates from the Basque Country, but is now cooked throughout France and even beyond its borders. Its name comes from a sauce, the basquaise, invented in the Basque province of Soule.
This is the traditional recipe you will find in this article, the most important being the quality of the raw materials used.
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Where to eat the chicken basquaise in the Basque Country?
Almost all restaurants offering traditional Basque cuisine have Basque chicken on their traditional or à la carte menus.
Chicken basquaise recipe.
It is essential to choose the right ingredients to make a good Basque chicken: red label chicken and vegetables from a small local producer will give a completely different flavour to your dish.
Ingredients (for 4 people).
- 1 yellow farm chicken Label Rouge
- 1 kg of round tomatoes
- 450 g red peppers
- 350 g green peppers
- 3 onions
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 1 glass of dry white wine
- 1 bouquet of thyme, bay leaf, parsley and rosemary
- Olive oil
- 1 pinch of Espelette pepper. Order it here
- Salt and ground pepper
Preparation of the chicken basquaise.
Time needed: 1 hour and 25 minutes
Preparation: 20mns. Cooking time: 1h05.
- Peel the garlic and squeeze it, then mince the onions finely and slice the peppers.
- In a casserole dish, sauté everything with a little olive oil for 10 minutes over medium heat.
- Add the peeled round tomatoes, cut into small pieces.
- Season with salt and pepper and simmer covered for 20 minutes.
- Sauté the chicken cut into pieces in a frying pan with a little olive oil.
- Season with salt and pepper and add a pinch of Espelette pepper.
- Add the chicken, bouquet garni and white wine to the simmered vegetables and cook for 45 minutes over low heat.
What to eat with chicken basquaise?
You can serve it with wild rice or fresh tagliatelle.
Which wine to pair with chicken basquaise?
To stay “local”, I recommend an Irouleguy rosé. If you can’t find it, try a delicious Tokay Pinot gris from Alsace, that will be perfect with chicken basquaise.
Bon appétit!!!
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Gastronomic tours.
If you do not wish to opt for a full-time guide but still want to enjoy a one-day gastronomic tour, you will find many tours to try traditional Basque cuisine on the Get Your Guide website.
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Conclusion – chicken basquaise recipe.
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