A Conundrum Followed by Chicken and Champagne

I have no idea how this happened. I swore that the bottle of champagne we bought for New Year's Eve was finished... I was pretty sure that we had polished it off (well, I could have sworn with the way I was feeling that evening). Um, anyway, imagine my surprise when I woke up the next morning to realize that we had about a half of bottle left! No! I really thought it was going to waste (oh, the shame), but then later that day with some inspiration from a few blogs (recipes including champagne) I knew I could use it up. I started rummaging through the fridge and found a few odds and ends... I knew I could make a decent meal... without going to the grocery store. Bonus!

Prosciutto and Chicken in Champagne

Serves 3-4

3-4 bone-in chicken breasts, skins removed

1lb firm potatoes, washed and chopped into 2 inch pieces

4 shallots peeled and halved

a few twigs of fresh thyme

6-8 fresh sage leaves

6-8 thin slices of prosciutto

3 tablespoons olive oil

juice of half a lemon

1 cup champagne (you can substitute sparking white wine or dry white wine)

salt and pepper

a bit of flour for the gravy

half and half for the gravy
water for the gravy

First, preheat the oven to 425F. Then, gather all of the ingredients for roasting the chicken. Chop the potatoes and shallots. Place them into a baking dish or roasting pan.

Sprinkle the potatoes with plenty of salt and pepper, then add the olive oil and lemon juice. Stir everything around so that the potatoes and shallots are covered with oil.

Throw a few sprigs of thyme on top of everything. Set aside.

Take the chicken and place two sage leaves on each chicken breast. Then, place two pieces of prosciutto over the chicken breasts, making sure to completely cover the top of the chicken and sage.

Place the chicken on top of the potatoes and shallots. Now, here is where the magic happens.... pour in the champagne! Place it into the pre-heated oven and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through completely and the potatoes are tender. It should be noted that my oven is gas and runs with a fan, therefore the prosciutto crisped up beautifully on its own. If your prosciutto isn't crispy by the end of the baking time, turn on the broiler for a few minutes before removing it from the oven.

Delicious! Now, move the chicken a potatoes to a large serving platter, making sure to retain all of the juices at the bottom of the pan.

Place the pan on top of a stove eye over medium heat (use oven mitts!). Once the juices start to heat again, add enough flour to make the beginning of a roux. It took me about 1/4 cup of flour for this to happen (just remember the ratio of flour to juices or fat is 1:1). Whisk the mixture continuously. While whisking, add the half and half slowly until you get it to the consistency you desire (I like my gravy thick). If the mixture becomes too thick, you can add a bit of water to loosen the gravy. Taste and adjust seasoning. Mine didn't need any seasoning at all.

Pour the gravy over the chicken and serve immediately.

This dinner was great. The potatoes and shallots were perfectly tender and the shallots had sweetened during the roasting. The chicken was moist and juicy and the prosciutto was nice a crispy. I can't say enough about this gravy. Between the flavors of the champagne, chicken and prosciutto juices, and the lemon, this gravy can be eaten by the pot-full!

I hope you enjoy this recipe. It was easy to make and it's a one-dish meal... even better. Just perfect for all of that champagne you have sitting around (wink, wink).

Happy Eating!