Chicken Quiche

So, why do most quiches fail to impress? Because of the crust. Without a lasting, flaky, buttery foundation—one that cradles rather than crumbles—the entire venture isn't worth the time. The filling is only ever as good as the shell it calls home. This recipe is an exploration of perfection: a flawless, complete-meal French quiche. We begin not with the custard, but with a symphony of components, each prepared to highlight its unique character. First, spinach, wilted to sweet surrender. Then, woodsy pied de mouton mushrooms, sautéed in a vibrant persillade. Next, layers of comfort and richness: tender boiled potatoes, pan-seared chicken breasts, delicate chicken livers, and a tangle of roasted onions, their sweetness deepened by the heat. But we are not done. Now comes the cheese: the nutty, crystalline melt of aged Comté meets the creamy, tangy intrigue of fresh goat cheese. Each ingredient is cooked in its own order, then artfully distributed within the sanctuary of the blind-baked shell. The final alchemy? A rich, silken custard of half-and-half and eggs, poured gently to submerge the mosaic within. A generous snow-fall of Parmigiano Reggiano over the top, and then into the oven it goes. We wait until it emerges transformed: firmly set, majestic, and a deep, inviting golden brown.

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An exploration of perfection: a flawless, complete-meal French quiche.

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Spinach

If using large fresh spinach, remove the stems. Immerse the greens in water and let them soak for about 10 minutes. Remove the greens from the water and repeat the soaking process until the water runs clear. Drain well and set aside.
Next, heat a stockpot over medium heat. Add fat and crushed garlic. Add the greens in two batches, making sure the first batch has wilted before adding the remaining spinach. Stir quickly, then cover with a lid. Cook for 2 minutes, stir again, and drain any excess liquid. Save liquid for your next soup. If any moisture remains, roll the wilted spinach in paper towels and squeeze. Save the garlic cloves for the mushrooms.

Prepping Mushrooms

In this recipe, I am going to use Pied de Mouton is also known as “sheep feet or hedgehog” that I found at the farmers market. These are wild mushrooms with a fleshy cap and a thick stem. The mushroom has a natural shape with soft spines under the cap. To clean pied de mouton, trim off the tough base of each stem. Briefly soak them in water for about 3 minutes. Remove the mushrooms from the water and let them drain, cap-side up, on several layers of paper towels.
For the best texture and flavor, scrape out the soft spines (or "teeth") under the cap with a small knife or spoon, as they can impart a mild bitterness. The mushrooms can be prepared a day in advance. After cleaning, leave them at room temperature overnight to rest and dry slightly. Then cut into medium size pieces.

Pan-Seared Chicken

For better handling, separate the tenders from the breasts. Discard any remaining blood spots and sinews.
Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add your fat. Once the fat is melted and hot, sprinkle about half of the coarse salt evenly over the pan's surface. This creates a non-stick effect. Place the chicken breasts in the pan (skin-side down, if applicable). Sear for about 10 minutes, until the meat turns from pink to opaque about 60–70% of the way up the sides. Season the top of the breasts with the remaining salt. Flip the chicken and continue cooking for about 5 more minutes, or until cooked through. If serving the breasts separately, reduce the heat to low after 4 minutes of the second side cooking. Add a few chunks of cold butter or duck fat and a sprig of thyme to the pan. Tilt the skillet and baste the chicken continuously with the herbed fat for about 2 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan and let it rest. Reserve the fond (browned bits) and fat in the skillet for cooking the onions.
Cook tenders for 3 minutes on each side. Transfer the meat to a plate to rest.

Cooking Onions and Chicken Livers

Place a baking pan or sheet in the freezer to chill. In the saved skillet, cook the onions over medium-high heat for 5 minutes, adding more fat if needed. Cover with a lid and cook for another 5 minutes.
Uncover, and add the chicken livers, season with salt and pepper, and sauté over high heat for 3 minutes on each side. Transfer the onion-liver mixture to the chilled pan and spread it out. Let cool completely. Keep the skillet to cook mushrooms.

Cooking Mushrooms

Reheat the skillet over high heat. Add the fat and sauté the prepared mushrooms for 3 minutes, until they begin to brown. Cover the skillet, reduce the heat to medium-low, and let steam out for 3 more minutes. Remove the lid and drain any excess liquid from the mushrooms. Season the mushrooms with salt and pepper. Add the heavy cream and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the cream has thickened to a coating consistency, about 5 minutes.
Remove mushrooms from the heat. Fold in the cubed (cooked) potatoes, persillade, and the wilted spinach.
Pour in the juices that have collected from the meat. Add more salt and pepper to taste. Let it cool.
Slice out chicken breasts.
Arrange the cooked stuffing portions side by side on a large tray or cutting board.

Quiche Custard

Mix all ingredients with an immersion blender.

Assembly

Preheat a convection oven to 350°F (180°C). For the quiche assembly, start by layering the shredded Comté cheese in the bottom of the crust. As it melts, the cheese will seal any small holes or cracks, preventing the custard from leaking. Add the goat cheese cubes.
Arrange the chicken breast pieces in a circular, radial pattern (like clock hands). This layout ensures clean slices. Finish by adding the roasted onions, livers, and the combined mushroom, potato, and spinach. Repeat with the other blind baked quiche shell.
Fill the quiche shells with the custard mixture up to the top. Sprinkle the grated Parmesan evenly over the surface.

Baking

Bake the quiche for 30 to 35 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the center is just set (not jiggly). Remove from the oven and let it stand for 10 minutes. Then, transfer the quiche to a cooling rack. Let it cool to room temperature before slicing.

Storage

For the cleanest slices, make the quiche a day ahead, refrigerate it overnight, and slice it while cold. You can rewarm the quiche in the microwave for approximately 45 seconds. However, for optimal texture, reheat it in a preheated oven for 5 minutes. Bon appétit!