A classic Belgian stew with juicy pieces of chicken, braised in Leffe Blond and flavoured with onion, garlic and fresh herbs. Lemon thyme and mushrooms give it an aromatic, deep flavour. The Mechelen cuckoo is, incidentally, a renowned Belgian chicken breed, hence the name. Lovely with mashed potatoes, frites or crusty bread.
Mechelen cuckoo chicken
Region: Mechelen
Mechelen cuckoo chicken
Region: Mechelen
Method
01
Brown the chicken
Melt a knob of butter in a large casserole. Season the chicken pieces generously with pepper and salt and brown them nicely on both sides, starting skin side down (about 4 min per side).
02
Add the vegetables
Cut the red and white onion into rings and peel the garlic. Add the onion and garlic between the pieces of chicken.
03
Thicken and deglaze
Sprinkle the flour evenly over the chicken and onion. Deglaze with the Leffe Blond. Add the stock cube and, if needed, a little water, so that the chicken is just covered.
04
Herbs
Put the lemon thyme and bay leaves in the pan.
05
Braise
Bring to the boil and braise gently for 1–1½ hours over a low heat without a lid, so that the sauce reduces and the flavours develop.
06
Finish
Add the mushrooms at the end and let them stew briefly. Finish with finely chopped flat-leaf parsley.
Tips & notes
Serve with mashed potatoes, thick frites or crusty bread. The rich beer sauce also goes beautifully with seasonal vegetables. Keep for a maximum of 3 days in the fridge or freeze the stew (up to 3 months).
Variations
- No Mechelen cuckoo at the poulterer’s? A good free-range chicken works excellently.
- Replace the Leffe Blond with a fruity kriek beer for a sweeter, Flemish variant.
Contains:
Gluten
Milk
Serve with
| Calories | 223 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 5 g |
| Carbohydrates | 26 g |
| Fat | 11 g |
| Fibre | 2 g |
Estimated values, calculated from standard nutritional values per ingredient.
