James Martin Chicken Bonne Femme

James Martin Chicken Bonne Femme is a cosy French-style chicken dinner with crisp-skinned chicken, smoky bacon, and mushrooms in a silky, wine-laced cream sauce. It tastes rich and savoury, but it is still straightforward enough for a confident weeknight cook. The method is mostly hands-off once it goes into the oven, and the result is tender chicken with a glossy, spoonable sauce. Total time is about 1 hour from start to finish.

Ingredients

For the chicken

• 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 900g)
• 1 tsp fine sea salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp plain flour (optional, for dusting)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 20g unsalted butter

For the bonne femme sauce

• 150g smoked bacon lardons
• 1 large onion, finely sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 250g chestnut mushrooms, halved or thickly sliced
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 150ml dry white wine
• 300ml chicken stock (hot)
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 thyme sprigs (or 1/2 tsp dried thyme)
• 150ml double cream
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard (optional, but lovely)
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, to finish

To serve

• Mashed potatoes, buttered new potatoes, or crusty bread
• Steamed green beans or peas (optional, but a great match)

How to Make James Martin Chicken Bonne Femme

• Prepare the oven: Preheat the oven to 200°C or 180°C fan. Set a shelf in the middle so the chicken cooks evenly and the sauce bubbles gently rather than furiously.
• Dry and season the chicken: Pat the chicken thighs really dry with kitchen paper. Season all over with salt and pepper. If you like a slightly thicker sauce, dust lightly with the flour and shake off any excess.
• Brown the chicken: Heat the olive oil and butter in a large casserole (or deep ovenproof pan) over medium-high heat. Add the chicken skin-side down and leave it alone for 6–8 minutes until deeply golden. Turn for 1 minute, then lift onto a plate.
• Start the base: Tip the bacon lardons into the same pan and cook for 3–4 minutes until the edges begin to crisp. Stir in the sliced onion and cook for 5 minutes until softened.
• Add mushrooms: Add the mushrooms and cook for 5–6 minutes, stirring now and then, until they release their moisture and start to take on a bit of colour.
• Build flavour: Stir in the garlic and tomato purée and cook for 1 minute. This takes the raw edge off and gives the sauce a deeper, rounder flavour.
• Deglaze: Pour in the white wine and let it bubble for 2–3 minutes, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. That is where a lot of the flavour lives.
• Add stock and herbs: Stir in the hot chicken stock, bay leaves, and thyme. Bring it back to a gentle simmer.
• Bake covered: Return the chicken to the pan, skin-side up. Cover with a lid and bake for 30 minutes.
• Bake uncovered to finish: Remove the lid and bake for another 10–15 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through (juices run clear, or about 75°C in the thickest part) and the skin looks appetisingly crisp again.
• Rest (cooling step): Lift the chicken onto a plate and rest for 5 minutes. This keeps it juicy and gives you a moment to finish the sauce properly.
• Finish the sauce (mixing step): Place the casserole on the hob over medium heat. Stir in the double cream and Dijon mustard (if using) and simmer for 3–5 minutes until the sauce lightly coats the back of a spoon. Taste and adjust seasoning.
• Assemble and serve: Return the chicken to the pan, spoon sauce over the top, and scatter with parsley. Serve immediately with mashed potatoes, new potatoes, or crusty bread for mopping up every last bit.

Tips

Why isn’t my chicken skin crisp?

The two big culprits are moisture and overcrowding. Pat the chicken dry before it goes into the pan, and brown it in batches if needed so the skin fries rather than steams. Also, make sure the chicken returns to the casserole skin-side up, and finish uncovered in the oven.

How do I stop the sauce splitting after adding cream?

Keep the heat moderate and avoid a rolling boil once the cream goes in. A gentle simmer is enough to thicken. If your pan is very hot from the oven, let it sit on the hob for a minute before stirring in the cream.

Can I make this without wine?

Yes. Replace the wine with an extra 150ml stock, and add 1 tsp lemon juice or white wine vinegar at the end to bring back that little bit of brightness.

How do I thicken the sauce if it looks too thin?

Simmer it uncovered for a few minutes and it will concentrate quickly. Dusting the chicken with a little flour at the start also helps, but you can thicken at the end simply by reducing the sauce.

Serving Suggestions

• Buttery mashed potatoes with plenty of black pepper
• Steamed green beans or peas for something fresh and sweet
• Crusty bread to soak up the sauce
• A sharp leaf salad with a mustardy vinaigrette

Storage

Room temperature

Let leftovers cool for no more than 1 hour, then refrigerate. As with most chicken dishes, do not leave it out for extended periods.

Refrigerator

Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the hob over low heat until piping hot, adding a splash of stock or water if the sauce has thickened too much.

Freezing

Freeze for up to 2 months in a freezer-safe container. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat slowly. Cream sauces can change texture slightly after freezing, but gentle reheating and a small splash of cream or stock will bring it back together nicely.

Nutrition

• Calories: 720 kcal
• Carbohydrates: 12 g
• Protein: 44 g
• Fat: 55 g
• Saturated Fat: 20 g
• Sodium: 980 mg

Nutrition values are estimates and will vary depending on the exact ingredients and brands you use.

FAQs

James Martin Chicken Bonne Femme

Recipe by Milli Rose

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: DinnerCuisine: FrenchDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

45

minutes

Total time

60

minutes

Calories

720

kcal

1

hour 

Crisp-skinned chicken thighs braised with smoky bacon, mushrooms, white wine, and a creamy mustard finish. A classic French-style supper that feels special but is wonderfully achievable at home.

Ingredients

• 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 900g)

• 1 tsp fine sea salt

• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

• 2 tbsp plain flour (optional, for dusting)

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 20g unsalted butter

• 150g smoked bacon lardons

• 1 large onion, finely sliced

• 2 garlic cloves, crushed

• 250g chestnut mushrooms, halved or thickly sliced

• 2 tbsp tomato purée

• 150ml dry white wine

• 300ml chicken stock (hot)

• 2 bay leaves

• 3 thyme sprigs (or 1/2 tsp dried thyme)

• 150ml double cream

• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard (optional, but lovely)

• 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, to finish

• Mashed potatoes, buttered new potatoes, or crusty bread, to serve

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Pat the chicken dry, season, and dust lightly with flour if using.
• Brown the chicken skin-side down in oil and butter until golden. Turn briefly, then remove to a plate.
• Fry bacon lardons until starting to crisp, then soften the onion in the bacon fat.
• Add mushrooms and cook until they take on colour. Stir in garlic and tomato purée for 1 minute.
• Pour in white wine and simmer for 2–3 minutes, scraping up any browned bits.
• Add stock, bay, and thyme. Return chicken skin-side up, cover, and bake 30 minutes.
• Uncover and bake 10–15 minutes more until the chicken is cooked through and the skin re-crisps.
• Remove the chicken to rest. Stir cream and Dijon mustard into the pan juices and simmer briefly to thicken.
• Return chicken to the sauce, sprinkle with parsley, and serve with potatoes or bread.

Notes

• Dry the chicken well before browning. It is the easiest way to get properly crisp skin.
• If your sauce looks thin, simmer it on the hob for 3–5 minutes after adding the cream.
• No casserole dish? Use a deep ovenproof frying pan with a lid, or cover tightly with foil.
• Make it alcohol-free by swapping the wine for extra stock plus 1 tsp lemon juice.