Odds are you’ve never made rillettes. This meaty spread is a French favorite, often made from pork, duck, or rabbit, and it couldn’t be simpler to whip up at home. The tasty spread can be enjoyed with bread or crackers and is often found on charcuterie boards.

This recipe for creamy chicken rillettes is made with our fully-cooked chicken confit, which means it can be done in about 20 minutes.  Keep a few jars of chicken rillettes in the fridge for protein-rich snacking, a quick sandwich filler, or charcuterie and cheese boards.

Our new chicken confit is fully-cooked, ready-to-heat and quite versatile. We’ve been hearing from fans who are finding new ways to enjoy the convenience and flavor. In the recipe below, the chicken confit is briefly reheated in water with spices, then shredded and whizzed in a stand mixer (you can use a food processor, blender, or a fork and knife). With the addition of some of the cooking liquid, spices, shallots and fresh parsley and tarragon, and a topping of melted butter (or olive oil), you have a simple spread that you can enjoy with a nice baguette, pickles and whole grain mustard.

As much as I like to cook and make things from scratch, I also love to have a few shortcuts. These chicken rillettes were made with a new favorite of mine, D’Artagnan’s chicken leg confit.  – Brittany

Chicken Rillettes

Courtesy of Brittany at Beyond the Bayou

Ingredients

2 packs D’Artagnan Chicken Confit Legs
½ cup water
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 bay leaf
1 ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon white pepper
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon tarragon, minced
1 teaspoon parsley, minced
2 teaspoons shallots, minced
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
A pinch of cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons butter, melted
6 tablespoons butter, melted for topping, or olive oil

Preparation

In a pan, add the chicken legs, water, black peppercorns and bay leaf, cover and bring to a boil. Remove chicken legs but reserve the liquid.

Shred meat and place in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Over low speed, add the salt, white pepper, black pepper, tarragon, parsley, shallots, 2 tablespoons melted butter, Dijon mustard, 3 tablespoons of reserved cooking liquid and cayenne pepper. Taste for seasoning.

Pack into glass jars or ramekins. Chill and then cover with more melted butter or olive oil to seal, roughly 6 tablespoons depending on the size of ramekin, and your taste. Serve with crusty bread, pickles, and mustard.

Note: The shredded chicken can be mixed by hand, depending on the texture you want to achieve.

Thanks to Brittany at Beyond the Bayou blog, who has been using our chicken confit in various dishes, and sharing her recipes with us.

Since 1985, D’Artagnan has been at the forefront of the farm-to-table movement, producing superior tasting products by partnering with small ranches and farms. We are committed to free-range, natural production, sustainable and humane farming practices and no use of antibiotics or hormones. That’s why D’Artagnan products have been revered by America’s most renowned chefs for over 30 years. We offer the same high-quality products to home cooks at dartagnan.com, along with recipes and guides to help you live the tasty life.

Connect with us on social media to share your cooking adventures. Tag @dartagnanfoods on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.