Jake Harper
Chicken Marengo is a French and Northern Italian dish consisting of chicken sautéed in oil with garlic and tomato, garnished with fried eggs and crayfish. The dish is said to have been created to celebrate Napoleon's victory at the Battle of Marengo in June 1800. According to a popular myth, the dish was first prepared by Napoleon's chef, Dunand, who foraged for ingredients in the town of Marengo, south of Alessandria, Italy. While the origin story is likely a myth, the dish has become intertwined with the Napoleonic battle, and its name and recipe continue to evoke a sense of celebration and culinary adventure.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the battle | Battle of Marengo |
| Date | 14 June 1800 |
| Location | Marengo, south of Alessandria, Italy |
| Opponents | Napoleon's troops and Austrian forces |
| Outcome | Napoleon defeated the Austrian army |
| Dish named after the battle | Chicken Marengo |
| Ingredients | Chicken, tomatoes, olive oil, herbs, eggs, crayfish/crawfish, garlic, onion, wine, flour, mushrooms |
| Variations | Can be made with veal, duck, or rabbit instead of chicken; some recipes include orange zest, bacon, or truffles |
| Origin of the dish | Legend says it was created by Napoleon's chef Dunand/Dunant after the battle; some consider this a myth, arguing that the ingredients were not available locally at the time |
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What You'll Learn
The Battle of Marengo
The battle took place on the Bormida plain, about 3 miles southeast of Alessandria. The French Army of the Reserve, led by Bonaparte, had crossed the Alps in mid-May, threatening Melas' lines of communication in northern Italy. The French seized Milan on 2 June, followed by other towns, cutting off the main Austrian supply route. Bonaparte hoped to take advantage of the Austrians' preoccupation with the Siege of Genoa, but the surrender of the city on 4 June freed up a large number of Austrian troops.
On 12 June, the French advanced westward towards Alessandria, reaching the Bormida River on the evening of 13 June. Bonaparte mistakenly believed that Melas was in Turin and sent detachments to find the enemy, weakening his army. Unbeknownst to him, Melas' army was still in Alessandria and launched a surprise attack on 14 June. The Austrians were considerably delayed by the crossing of the Bormida and split into two main columns. The right column, commanded by Melas, consisted of 20,000 troops and travelled through Marengo, while the left column, led by Peter Karl Ott, advanced through Castel Ceriolo with more than 7,000 men. A third column of 3,000 troops, commanded by Andreas O'Reilly, was sent to the Austrian right.
The French offered strong resistance, holding their ground and compelling the deployment of nearly all of Melas' force. At a critical moment, Kellermann's cavalry sallied out of the French line, cutting through the great column. Zach, along with over 2,000 troops, was taken prisoner. The Austrian cavalry was routed, and Lannes, Victor-Perrin, and Monnier pushed the Austrians back towards Marengo. Despite a gallant stand, the Austrians were in full retreat by nightfall. The exhausted French imposed an armistice on Melas the next day.
The victory at Marengo secured Napoleon's authority in Paris and resulted in the French occupation of Lombardy up to the Mincio River. It also consolidated Bonaparte's position as the First Consul of France following his coup d'état in November 1799. The Battle of Marengo is thus significant in the context of Napoleonic history and the French campaign in Italy during this period.
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Chicken Marengo's ingredients
Chicken Marengo is a French and Northern Italian dish that was named to celebrate Napoleon's victory at the Battle of Marengo in June 1800. The dish is colourful and simple, with a surprisingly short list of ingredients.
The original Chicken Marengo recipe includes a whole chicken, cut into pieces, and seasoned with salt and pepper. It is then fried in olive oil with tomatoes, onions, and herbs. The chicken is then removed from the pan, and the onions are fried until translucent. A sauce is then made with white wine, water, and flour, which is added to the chicken and cooked for an hour. Thinly sliced mushrooms are then added to the dish, along with garlic croutons, and fried eggs laid on top of the chicken portions.
Some variations of the recipe include the addition of crayfish, while others suggest substituting crayfish with mushrooms. Some recipes also include the use of butter, parsley, and lemon.
Chicken Marengo can be served with garlic bread or over white rice, pasta, or egg noodles. It can also be accompanied by vegetables such as creamed spinach or zucchini bake.
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The myth of Chicken Marengo
Chicken Marengo is a French and Northern Italian dish consisting of chicken sautéed in oil with garlic, tomato, and herbs, garnished with fried eggs and crayfish. The dish is similar to chicken à la Provençale but with the addition of eggs and crayfish, which are now often omitted.
The dish was named to celebrate the Battle of Marengo, a Napoleonic victory of June 14, 1800. According to a popular myth, the dish was first made after Napoleon defeated the Austrian army at the Battle of Marengo in Marengo, south of Alessandria, Italy. It is said that his chef Dunand, or another French chef, foraged in the town for ingredients because the supply wagons were too far away. Dunand then created the dish from what he could gather: chicken, tomatoes, herbs, eggs, and crayfish. The recipe has evolved over time, and today, it is commonly served with mushrooms instead of crayfish.
The colourful story of the dish's creation is probably a myth. Food historian Alan Davidson writes that there would have been no access to tomatoes at that time, and the first published recipe for the dish omits them. A more plausible explanation for the origin of the dish is that it was created by a restaurant chef in Paris to honour Napoleon's victory. This recipe, found in Pellegrino Artusi's *Science of Cooking and the Art of Eating Well*, lacks tomatoes, crayfish, and eggs: Take a young chicken, remove the neck and legs, and cut into large pieces at the joints. Sauté in butter and olive oil, seasoning with salt, pepper, and a dash of nutmeg. When the pieces have browned on both sides, skim the fat and add flour and wine. Add broth and cover, cooking over low heat until done. Before removing from the fire, garnish with a pinch of chopped parsley.
However, we will likely never know the true origin of the dish, so feel free to choose whichever version you like!
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Chef Dunand/Dunant
Chef Dunand, also known as Dunant or Durant, was the chef responsible for creating the famous Chicken Marengo dish, which was named after the Battle of Marengo, a Napoleonic victory in June 1800. The dish is said to have been created to celebrate Napoleon's defeat of the Austrian army at Marengo, south of Alessandria, Italy.
According to popular legend, Chef Dunand created the meal in haste, using whatever ingredients he could forage locally, as the supply wagons were too far away. The original dish is said to have included chicken sautéed in oil with garlic, tomato, and garnished with fried eggs and crayfish. Dunand's creativity and resourcefulness in inventing this dish with limited resources have contributed to its enduring fame.
However, some sources question the authenticity of this story, suggesting that it is a myth. They argue that certain ingredients, such as tomatoes, were not accessible at the time, and that Dunant was not even in Napoleon's service during the Battle of Marengo. Instead, it is proposed that the dish may have originated from a restaurant chef in Paris who created it to honour Napoleon's victory.
Over time, the recipe for Chicken Marengo has evolved, with variations including the use of veal, duck, or rabbit instead of chicken, and the addition of ingredients like mushrooms, truffles, or orange zest. The dish has remained popular, appearing on menus in Paris as early as 1815 and persisting even after Napoleon's exile.
Chef Dunand's association with Napoleon and the creation of Chicken Marengo have become intertwined in culinary history, adding a fascinating layer to the story of the dish and its connection to the Napoleonic era.
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Variations of the recipe
Chicken Marengo, named after the Napoleonic Battle of Marengo, has many variations in its recipe. Here are some of them:
Ingredients
The original Chicken Marengo recipe includes chicken, tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, crayfish, and eggs. However, crayfish and eggs are often omitted in modern recipes. Some recipes also include onions, butter, salt, pepper, herbs, flour, wine, chicken stock, and mushrooms.
Preparation
One way to prepare the dish is to brown the chicken pieces in a casserole with olive oil and butter. Then, fry the onions in the same mixture until translucent. Prepare a tomato sauce by cooking chopped tomatoes with salt, pepper, and herbs over low heat for a few minutes. Add this sauce to the chicken and onions in the casserole. Make a Marengo sauce by mixing white wine, water, and flour, and add it to the chicken. Simmer for about an hour. Finally, add thinly sliced mushrooms and cook for another 15 minutes. For a post-battle twist, top each chicken piece with a fried egg and serve with garlic croutons.
Alternative Proteins
Chicken Marengo can also be made with veal, duck, or rabbit instead of chicken.
Sides
Some people like to serve Chicken Marengo with garlic bread on the side for dipping into the savory tomato sauce. Others opt for French sliced string beans or rice.
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Frequently asked questions
The Battle of Marengo, which took place in June 1800, shares its name with the chicken dish Chicken Marengo.
Chicken Marengo is a French and Northern Italian dish consisting of chicken sautéed in oil with garlic and tomato, garnished with fried eggs and crayfish.
According to a popular myth, Napoleon's chef Dunand created the dish after the Battle of Marengo by foraging in the town for ingredients. The dish was said to be Napoleon's favourite, and he demanded to be served it after every battle.
