← Nouns Cooking · French

Ingredients

• 1.5 kg chicken pieces (thighs and drumsticks)
• salt and black pepper
• 1 tbsp Vegetable oil
• 30 g Butter
• 4 cloves Garlic, finely chopped
• 2 Shallot, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp Tomato purée (paste)
• 2 Tomato, peeled and chopped
• 100 ml good red wine vinegar
• 150 ml dry white wine
• 250 ml chicken stock
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 100 ml double cream or crème fraîche
• 1 tbsp tarragon or parsley, chopped

Method

1. Season the chicken well. Heat the oil and half the butter in a wide pan over medium-high heat and brown the pieces, skin-side down first, for 8–10 min until golden all over. Pour off most of the fat.
2. Lower the heat, add the shallots and garlic and stir for 2 min without browning. Stir in the tomato paste and chopped tomatoes.
3. Pour in the vinegar (stand back, it is pungent) and let it bubble for 3 min until reduced by half. Add the wine, stock and mustard.
4. Return the chicken skin-side up, cover and simmer gently for 30 min, until the juices run clear and the meat reaches 75°C (165°F).
5. Lift out the chicken. Boil the sauce for 5 min until syrupy, then stir in the cream and the rest of the butter. Season, pour over the chicken and scatter with herbs.

Tips

• Use a quality wine vinegar: cheap ones taste harsh even after reducing.
• Rice or plain boiled potatoes soak up the tangy sauce beautifully.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

BBC Food Great British Chefs