Poulet au Riesling et Spätzle

Ingredients

• For the spätzle batter
• 300 g plain flour
• 3 eggs
• 100 ml water or whole milk
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 scraping nutmeg, optional, freshly grated
• 30 g unsalted butter, for pan-frying
• For the chicken and sauce
• 4 chicken supremes or bone-in thighs
• 200 ml Riesling, dry Alsatian
• 150 ml crème fraîche
• 20 g unsalted butter, for sautéing

Method

1. 1
   Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl. Add the eggs and the water or milk. Beat vigorously until the batter is smooth and elastic — it should fall from a spoon in thick, slow ribbons, thicker than pancake batter but thinner than pasta dough. Fold in the optional nutmeg. Rest the batter uncovered for 15 minutes to relax the gluten and allow air bubbles to dissipate. The rested batter holds its ribbon without immediately spreading flat.
2. 2
   Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a rolling boil. Form the spätzle by one of three methods: spread the batter on a wet spätzle board and scrape thin strips directly into the water with a palette knife; extrude through a spätzle press; or push through a large-holed colander with a spatula. Work in batches to avoid overcrowding the water. Poach for 2–3 minutes. The spätzle are done when they float to the surface.
3. 3
   Scoop the floating spätzle with a slotted spoon and spread in a single layer on a lightly oiled tray. Allow to cool and dry completely. This step is essential: wet spätzle will steam rather than fry. The surface should feel dry to the touch before they meet the pan.
4. 4
   Season the chicken pieces. Melt the sautéing butter in a wide sauté pan over medium-high heat and colour the chicken on all sides until the skin is golden. Pour in the Riesling, scraping up any residue. Reduce by roughly half, then stir in the crème fraîche. Simmer gently until the sauce coats a spoon and the chicken is cooked through. This is where the dish lives or dies: a sauce reduced too far turns sharp and broken; too little reduction and it remains thin and raw with alcohol. The correct sauce is pale ivory, glossy, and clings lightly to a lifted spoon without running.
5. 5
   Melt the pan-frying butter in a separate wide pan over medium-high heat. Add the dried spätzle in a single layer — do not crowd them. Fry without disturbing until the undersides are golden and the edges are lightly crispy. Toss once. The finished spätzle are golden, slightly irregular, and emit a faint sizzle that quietens as the moisture drives off.
6. 6
   Serve the pan-fried spätzle as the base, lay the chicken pieces over them, and spoon the Riesling cream sauce across. The dish is ready when the sauce runs into the crevices of the crispy-edged dumplings and the aroma of reduced wine and cream is present without any raw-alcohol sharpness.