This Calvados-glazed chicken is an adaptation of the duck prepared by Downton Abbey’s Mrs. Patmore, but the flavor is still worthy of any upscale dining room.
Welcome to the September edition of Progressive Eats. I’m hosting this month and chose recipes inspired by movies and television. One of my favorite series is Downton Abbey, and Mrs. Patmore — played by Lesley Nicol — is a standout character whose cooking often steals the scene.
Food is central to many memorable moments in the show: lavish garden parties, fundraisers, formal dinners upstairs (and the famously oversalted raspberry meringue pudding), and the menu for Edith’s aborted wedding. When the wedding feast is later served to the staff, Mrs. Patmore recounts the elegant courses: “There’s lobster rissoles in mousseline sauce. Or Calvados glazed duckling. Or do you fancy a little asparagus salad with champagne saffron vinaigrette?”
I planned to recreate the Calvados-glazed duck served on the show, but finding a whole duckling proved difficult. Instead I swapped in a whole roasting chicken, which is easier to source and still captures the spirit and flavors of the original dish. The preparation mirrors what might have appeared at an upper-class dinner in the early 1900s.
Calvados is an apple brandy from Normandy; if you can’t find it, another apple brandy or apple cider can be used. For households that avoid alcohol, apple cider is a suitable nonalcoholic substitute that still brings bright apple notes to the glaze.
On the show, Calvados-glazed duckling seems to be presented as an elegant canapé. This recipe is scaled and arranged to serve as a main course; pair it with your favorite sides to complete the meal.
If you want to reduce cooking time and encourage even cooking, consider spatchcocking the chicken — removing the backbone and flattening it. I did not use that method here, so use a meat thermometer to ensure doneness: the legs should reach about 180°F and the breast slightly lower when resting.
Calvados-Glazed Chicken
6 servings
Ingredients
For the chicken:
- 1 roasting chicken, about 4 lbs / 1.8 kg
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 2 shallots, peeled and halved
- 1 small tart apple, cored and quartered
- ½ cup chicken broth
- ½ cup Calvados (apple brandy) or apple cider
- ½ cup dark brown sugar
Instructions
Make the chicken:
- Remove giblets from the chicken; rinse and pat dry inside and out.
- Trim excess fat from both ends of the cavity. In a small bowl, combine thyme, salt and pepper, then rub the mixture all over the chicken, inside and out. Place the shallots and apple quarters inside the cavity. Tie the legs together with kitchen twine and tuck the wing tips behind the back.
- Place the chicken breast-side up on a rack in a large roasting pan. Roast at 425°F for 20 minutes. Cover the breast with foil, reduce oven temperature to 350°F, and continue roasting for about 1 hour, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the leg reaches 180°F. Transfer the bird to a heated platter.
- Set the roasting pan over medium-high heat on the stovetop and skim off excess fat. Add the chicken broth and Calvados (or apple cider), scraping up any browned bits from the pan. Bring to a boil and cook until the liquid reduces to about ½ cup, about 5 minutes. Stir in the brown sugar and simmer 3–5 minutes more until slightly syrupy. Pour the glaze into a heatproof bowl.
- Return the chicken to the roasting pan, remove the foil, and brush the bird with half the glaze. Bake at 350°F for 5 minutes, then brush with the remaining glaze. Roast for another 20 minutes. Increase the oven to 475°F and cook 5 more minutes, until the skin is deeply browned and crisp. Transfer to a heated platter, tent with foil, and let rest 20 minutes before carving and serving.
Did you love this recipe?
Leave a star rating and share your experience on social media.
Slightly adapted from Downton Abbey Cooks.
Dishes Inspired by Movies or TV
Appetizers
- Masala Omelette from “The Hundred-Foot Journey” — Spice Roots
- Mexican Chicken Chile Soup from “Tortilla Soup” (gluten-free) — The Heritage Cook
Main Courses
- Double Polar Burgers with Everything from “Grease” — Pastry Chef Online
- Mrs. Patmore’s Calvados-Glazed Chicken — The Redhead Baker
Side Dishes
- Retro Waldorf Salad for Mad Men Fans — Mother Would Know
Desserts
- Chocolate Frangelico Truffles from “Chocolat” — That Skinny Chick Can Bake
- Minny’s Chocolate Chess Pie from “The Help” — Creative Culinary
Welcome to Progressive Eats, our virtual progressive dinner party. This month’s theme highlights dishes inspired by favorite TV shows and movies. Each month a host selects a theme and participating bloggers contribute recipes for a cohesive menu you can explore from appetizer to dessert.
In a traditional progressive dinner, guests move from house to house for each course. With Progressive Eats you can travel virtually, hopping from blog to blog to discover each course and try the recipes at home.