Dave and Aralynn in Paris served this dish to Shannon, Kim and me for lunch one day. We all loved it! I ordered it one night at a restaurant in Honfleur, and again really liked it. I finally got around to trying to make it tonight, and am so pleased that it turned out to be easy and *delicious*.

The ingredients list is short: chicken breasts, butter, onion, shallots, mushrooms, apple cider, heavy cream, apples and Calvados. I served it over egg noodles, but the recipe doesn't call for them.

I used a recipe from frenchfood.about.com (I printed it out about a month ago), but when I searched for the link tonight it didn't come up. A Google search on 'Poulet Vallée d'Auge' brings up several similar recipes.

Try it ... I bet you'll like it!

Colleen

Colleen - yep, it is a yummy dish! In England it is called Somerset chicken, and uses wonderful Somerset hard cider. I usually make it without the cream - it is still wonderful. And I make a variation using pork chops instead of chicken (had that for dinner last night, actually).

Judy

Mmm...need to remember to give this a try now!

I love the pork chop idea too - might work well also with a pork tenderloin cut into medallions.

Ah that takes me back. Years ago, when Philippa and I were young marrieds, we holidayed a couple of times in gîtes in the Vallée d'Auge: this was one of our staples. I love flambeeing with Calvados: fantastic smell!

Yes, Kim, we've done it with pork medallions too: delicious.

Jonathan

Just finished leftovers for lunch - just as good on day two.

I like the idea of this sauce with pork, too. How do you cut a 'medallion' from pork tenderloin? (I've only ever cooked pork chops!)

Thanks!
Colleen

Any ideas what would substitute for the apple cider here in Italy?

Barb - can you get apple juice?
My little secret - I couldn't find cider at the market when I was shopping for the ingredients, so bought and used apple juice instead. There may be a slight difference with cider ... but you couldn't prove it by me!

***edited to add: Maybe because I increased the quantity of Calvados? LOL

thanks...now all I need to do is find some Calvados....I've never looked for it here!

No cider in Italy? Guess we'll have to visit an apple farm when our friends get here.

Pat

Wow! Thanks just got it off the BBC good food website. It looks wonderful am going to do it this weekend. Yes it would be great with pork as well. Just have to get the Calvados, my husband has a couple of bottles of Blackthorne Hard English Cider...yumm

Years ago there used to be a great little restaurant in NYC that made lightly fried breaded chicken cutlets with a calvados cream sauce. It was so good!!! I'll have to recreate it one day!