Easy

Rillettes de Poulet

Name: Rillettes de Poulet
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Total time: 1 h 40 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 600 g bone-in skin-on chicken thighs; 4 tbsp butter, softened; 1 shallot, halved; 2 cloves garlic, whole; 3 sprigs fresh thyme; 1 bay leaf; 0.5 cup dry white wine; 0.5 cup chicken broth; 1 tbsp fresh tarragon, chopped; 1 tbsp fresh chives, chopped; 1 tsp lemon zest; Salt and pepper to taste; Cornichons and crusty bread for serving

(267)

1 hr 40 min8185 cal

By Chef Marco Deluca·Red Seal Certified Chef|May 18, 2024

Rillettes de Poulet is a French chicken spread made by slowly braising chicken until fall-apart tender, then shredding and mixing it with butter, herbs, and its own cooking juices. The result is a rich, spreadable pâté-like preparation that is perfect on crusty bread, crackers, or toast points. Easier and lighter than pork rillettes, this chicken version is a fantastic appetizer.

rillettesfrenchspreadappetizer

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Ingredients

Servings:

Instructions

👨‍🍳Chef's Notes

Mise en Place Saves Time

“Even for quick recipes, spend 3 minutes measuring and prepping everything before you turn on the heat. It sounds counterintuitive, but it actually speeds up cooking because you're never scrambling mid-recipe.”

Use a Meat Thermometer

“The only reliable way to know chicken is safe and perfectly cooked is an instant-read thermometer. Pull at 74°C (165°F) in the thickest part. No guessing, no cutting into it and losing juices.”

Nutrition Per Serving

185

Calories

16g

Protein

12g

Fat

Carbs

Fiber0g

Sugar0g

Sodium380mg

Reviews

4.8 / 5 (267 reviews)

Lauren O.

Nov 21, 2025

This is comfort food at its finest. Pure perfection.

Amanda D.

Sep 24, 2025

Best chicken recipe I have tried in a long time.

Emily X.

Oct 10, 2025

Made this twice already this month. So delicious!

Recipe at a Glance

Prep:

10 min

Cook:

1 hr 30 min

Total:

1 hr 40 min

Servings:

Difficulty:

Easy

Pro Tips

1The rillettes should be spreadable but not a paste — leave some texture in the shredded chicken.
2Pressing plastic wrap directly on the surface prevents oxidation.
3These keep for 5 days in the fridge and freeze beautifully.

Variations

Add smoked paprika for a smoky version.
Use duck fat instead of butter for richer rillettes.
Mix in dried cranberries for a sweet-savory holiday version.

Chicken Appetizers & Party Food

Rillettes de Poulet

Ready in 100 minutes! This Rillettes de Poulet is a weeknight winner.

by ChickenRecipes.ca

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Chef Marco Deluca

Head Chef & Recipe Developer

Marco is a Red Seal certified chef with over 15 years of professional kitchen experience across Canada. After training at George Brown College in Toronto and working in acclaimed restaurants from Vancouver to Montreal, he founded ChickenRecipes.ca to share his expertise with home cooks. Marco specializes in making restaurant-quality chicken dishes accessible for everyday Canadian kitchens.

Red Seal Certified ChefGeorge Brown College Culinary Arts Graduate15+ years professional kitchen experience