French Baked Chicken isn’t another boring chicken recipe. Oh no!
Orange Marmalade with orange, tarragon and olives make this delicious, sticky crust for French Baked Chicken. Use on chicken halves or chicken breasts for a delicious French dinner recipe.
Foodie friends, I’m still on a roll with my New Year’s resolution! Next up: French Baked Chicken. Another recipe adapted from my lovely French Comfort Food cookbook by Hillary Davis.
This baked chicken is smothered with French flavors, citrus, garlic, tarragon, herbes de Provence and oil-cured olives. If fresh tarragon is not s spice you use often, it is best described as as floral licorice.
Fresh tarragon has a vastly different taste than dried, you can adjust the amount based on your preference. Oil-cured olives are another ingredient not used commonly in American cuisine.
When you locate them in the store, you might think the jarred is busted, but this is the way they actually look. Like olives soaked in oil, but then drained. They are also amazing in salads and tapenade.
This recipe originally called for a whole chicken, but I was making this recipe during a blizzard and can you believe the grocery store was sold out of whole chicken?
I opted for chicken halves, which was perfect for each individual plate, ditching the need to carve. The glaze is unique, flavorful and sweet, a real pleaser! If you buy orange marmalade, you can use the rest to make Slow Cooker Orange Chicken.
If you liked this French inspired recipe, check these out:
Beurre Blanc Sauce
Bechamel Baked Scallop Recipe
Tools for making French baked chicken (affiliate):
Broiler Pan– I like using one so the fats and other drippings don’t pool up below the chicken. It also allows air to circulate around the chicken helping it cook more evenly.
Wood cutting board – wood won’t dull your knives like plastic and if treated properly, has natural antimicrobial properties.
Good knife – Global is my favorite! They are worth the price, I promise. I am kind of obsessed with them and store them tucked away so no one else can use them. Including hubby. Hands off my good stuff!
Mini Food Processor– I use this thing daily! It is by far my most used kitchen appliance, it is small and I throw all the parts into the dishwasher, well except the base and cord, of course!
French Baked Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 large orange , zested and juiced, separated, leftovers reserved
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 5 large garlic cloves , coarsely chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh tarragon , coarsely chopped
- 1 tablespoon Italian parsley , coarsely chopped
- 2 teaspoons dried herbes de provence
- 6 tablespoons orange marmalade
- 10 oil cured olives , pitted
- Fine sea salt and pepper
- 4 chicken halves , skin on
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup white wine
- Orange and fresh thyme , for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- In a small food processor or blender, combine orange zest, orange juice and olive oil, garlic, tarragon, parsley, herbes de provence, marmalade and oil cured olives. Blend until a thick paste forms.
- Season chicken with fine sea salt and pepper. Loosen skin, slathering paste under skin and over.
- Place chicken pieces on a broiler pan. In the bottom of the broiler pan, add chicken broth, white wine and leftover orange rinds.
- Bake for 30-40 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees and paste is dark, sticky glaze.
- Remove and allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving.
- If you choose, use liquids in the base of your broiler pan to make gravy by scraping up browned bits and whisking with 1 tablespoons cornstarch. Ladle over top.
- If you’ve tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was!
The tarragon in not mentioned in the recipe directions. Where does it fit in?
Hi- this was an old recipe that hadn’t been re-written. It was in step #2 and we used the word olive oil “through” olives, but I just updated it to be more clear. Thanks for letting us know!
Omg…what a wonderful looking recipe. That charred exterior is a beauty.
This is one of our favorite ways to make chicken, and I will always be glad I found your version of it. So delicious!
We made this chicken for dinner last night and it turned out wonderfully. I love the classic flavours and we’ll definitely be making this again.
The flavors in this French-Baked Chicken are outstanding! Plus, it’s a breeze to prep and everyone loved it, thank you!
Got this for our lunch and I love it, my family loves it. thanks for sharing.
Dinner tonight! The tasty, sticky crust is going to have this recipe gobbled up in no time in my home!
Can’t wait to try this recipe, I know my family will love it!