Chicken Chasseur, the Pan‑Sauce Way

Season the chicken legs with fine sea salt (no pepper yet) and pat them dry. Optionally place the chicken uncovered on a rack in the refrigerator for a dry‑brine of 12–24 hours.

Preheat the oven to 400°F (350°F fan). Blanch the ripe tomatoes for about 60 seconds, then transfer them to ice water, peel, deseed and dice.

Heat a stainless‑steel pan on low heat without oil, place the chicken skin‑side down and allow it to render its own fat, or add a little hot oil if preferred. Cook until the skin is deep golden.

Flip the chicken pieces and transfer the pan to the pre‑heated oven. Roast until the thickest part of the meat reaches an internal temperature of 176°F.

Turn the oven off, leave the door ajar until the oven temperature drops to 50–140°F, then remove the chicken and let it rest on a rack, uncovered.

Pour off all but 1 tbsp of the rendered fat. Add 15 g of cubed butter to the pan and brown the chestnut mushrooms over high heat, stirring quickly to evaporate steam.

Reduce the heat to medium, add the finely chopped shallots and soften them, then add the garlic and tomato purée and cook for about 1 minute.

Stir in the optional brandy and let it reduce, then add the dry white wine, scraping up any browned bits from the pan. Reduce the liquid by half.

Add the chicken stock, diced tomatoes, and the juices collected from the resting chicken. Simmer until the sauce is reduced by roughly one‑third.

Remove the pan from the heat and swirl in the remaining cold butter until melted. Finish the sauce with the chopped tarragon, parsley and black pepper, tasting and adjusting salt as needed.

Plate the sauce, place the rested chicken on top to keep the skin crisp, and serve with buttered leeks.