Chicken Marengo facts for kids
Chicken Marengo is a famous French dish. It features chicken cooked in oil with garlic and tomato. It's often served with fried eggs and crayfish. This dish is similar to "chicken à la Provençale." However, Chicken Marengo traditionally includes eggs and crayfish. These ingredients are sometimes left out today. The dish got its name from the Battle of Marengo. This was a big victory for Napoleon in June 1800.
The Story Behind Chicken Marengo
Napoleon's Victory Meal
A popular story tells us how Chicken Marengo began. It was supposedly made after Napoleon won a battle. He defeated the Austrian army at the Battle of Marengo. This battle took place near Alessandria, Italy.
Napoleon's chef, Dunand, had a problem. The army's food wagons were too far away. So, he searched the town for ingredients. He gathered what he could find. From these items, he created the dish.
Is the Story True?
The legend says Napoleon loved the dish very much. He wanted it served after every battle he won. Later, his chef had more supplies. He tried adding mushrooms and wine to the recipe. But Napoleon supposedly refused! He believed changing the dish would bring him bad luck.
However, this exciting story is probably just a myth. Food experts say that tomatoes were not easily available then. Also, the first written recipe for the dish does not include them. A more likely explanation is that a restaurant chef created the dish. They probably wanted to honor Napoleon's victory.
