Literally named “chicken in a pot,” poule au pot is a traditional Sunday dinner in France. This rustic yet healthy dish consists of a whole chicken cooked with vegetables in a flavorful broth (no store-bought stock needed). For such a simple recipe, the result is an incredibly flavorful dish, with fall-off-the-bone chicken guaranteed every time.
Poule au pot is a specialty hailing from the southern French Pyrénées Mountains, but it’s embraced throughout the entire country. Alongside boeuf bourguignon and coq au vin, it’s one of the most iconic recipes of French country cooking.
Alongside beef Bourguignon and coq au vin, poule au pot is one of the most iconic recipes of French country cooking. (Audrey Le Goff)
The origin of this recipe is linked to France’s King Henry IV (1553–1610), who was born in the Château de Pau, in Béarn. The story goes that the king democratized and established the poule au pot as France’s national dish in the 17th century, in response to the terrible famines caused by the long-lasting religious wars between the Huguenot Protestants and the Catholics. The rumor states that he declared to his minister, Maximilien de Béthune (duc de Sully), “If God gives me more life, I will ensure there won’t be a plowman in my kingdom who does not have the means to enjoy a poule au pot on Sundays.”…