Method:
Serves 6 to 8
Preparation Time 15 minutes
Cooking Time 40 minutes
Oven Temperature 180°C
- 50ml olive oil
- 1.5kg chicken portions
- 30ml butter
- 16 baby onions, peeled
- 1 to 2 whole heads of garlic
- 5 sprigs of thyme
- 3 celery sticks, sliced
- 200g streaky bacon, chopped
- 250g mixed mushrooms
- 500ml chicken stock
- 150ml dry white wine
- 150ml cream
- 25ml flour
- sunflower oil, for deep-frying
- 8 to 10 potatoes, peeled and cut into thin chips
- steamed fine green beans and baby carrots, to serve
1 Heat the oil over a medium to high heat in a saucepan or casserole dish. Brown the pieces of chicken well on all sides. Remove from the pan and set aside.
2 Pour most of the chicken fat out of the saucepan. Reduce the heat and add the butter. Add the onions, unpeeled whole cloves of garlic and the thyme. Sauté for 2 minutes, then add the celery and bacon. Cover the pan and cook for about 3 minutes.
3 Add the mushrooms and stir gently. Transfer the chicken to an ovenproof dish. Spoon the mushroom mixture over the chicken. Pour half the stock and wine into the casserole. Transfer to the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked.
4 Remove from the oven and spoon off the liquid into a saucepan. Add the remaining stock and wine and bring to the boil. Mix the flour with a little cold water and stir into the stock mixture. Simmer for 5 minutes to reduce and then stir in the cream. Season to taste. Pour over the chicken and vegetables in the casserole dish.
5 Heat the oil for deep-frying over medium to high heat then fry the chips in batches until golden. Serve immediately with the chicken, with steamed beans and carrots on the side.
Text and image: Ideas
