Jose Piaggio of Piaggio On Wheels, Part Three

Photo by Kimberly Valenzuela

​ As promised, for our final installment, Jose Piaggio shares one of his most cherished recipes. Read on to see it. If you missed the first and second part, read it here and here.

Piaggio's Recipe For Chicken Champagne

This chicken champagne recipe has sentimental value for me, since it was one of the first dishes I cooked with my mother Yuqueri. This is my favorite go-to dish for any special occasion.

Ingredients:

• 1 whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces
• 2 large white onions, finely chopped
• 1 bunch green onions, minced
• 1 pound asparagus
• 4 potatoes, cut into cubes
• 1 bottle of champagne
• 1 can of champignon mushrooms
• 1 cup of olive oil
• Canola oil for frying potatoes - 3 cups
• Parmesan cheese - ½ cup

For Bechamel Sauce:

• 1 stick of butter
• 1 cup of flour
• A pinch of nutmeg
• cups of milk
• Kosher salt and pepper to taste

Procedures:

For béchamel sauce:

Melt butter and add flour, mixing with whisk. Add milk until you
get a thick consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste, then a pinch of nutmeg.

For chicken:

Preheat pan with ½ cup of olive oil. Season chicken with kosher salt and pepper, and brown the chicken pieces for about 15-20 minutes.

Set chicken aside and cook the onions in the oil until translucent. Add the oregano to the onions and place the chicken back in the pan with the onion mixture. Add the champagne, let it reduce, then add the champignons. Remove from stove.

Blanch your asparagus and put them in water with ice.

Place potatoes in a pan with enough canola oil to cover. Fry until crispy. Place aside.

Transfer the chicken to a baking pan and cover it with the potatoes and asparagus. Top the asparagus with the bechamel sauce and shredded parmesan cheese. Bake until golden-brown.

Serves 6-8 people.