← Nouns Cooking · French

Ingredients

• 1.4 kg bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and drumsticks
• salt and black pepper
• 2 tbsp Plain (all-purpose) flour
• 1 tbsp Vegetable oil
• 30 g Butter
• 300 g button or chestnut mushrooms, sliced
• 2 Shallot, finely chopped
• 2 cloves Garlic, crushed
• 3 tbsp Brandy or cognac (optional)
• 150 ml dry white wine
• 2 tbsp Tomato purée (paste)
• 400 ml chicken stock
• 2 sprigs Thyme
• 1 Bay leaves
• 1 tbsp Tarragon, chopped
• 1 handful Parsley, chopped

Method

1. Season the chicken and dust it lightly with the flour. Heat the oil and half the butter in a large, deep frying pan or casserole over medium-high heat and brown the chicken, skin side down first, for 8–10 min until golden all over. Set aside on a plate.
2. Pour off all but 1 tbsp of fat. Add the remaining butter and the mushrooms and fry over medium-high heat for 5 min until browned, then stir in the shallots and garlic for 2 min more.
3. If using brandy, pour it in and let it bubble away almost completely. Add the wine and boil for 2 min, scraping up the browned bits, then stir in the tomato paste, stock, thyme and bay.
4. Return the chicken, skin side up, with any juices. Cover and simmer gently for 25 min, then uncover and simmer for 10–15 min more until the sauce thickens slightly and the thighs reach 75°C (165°F) near the bone.
5. Fish out the herb stalks, taste for seasoning and scatter with tarragon and parsley. Serve with mash, rice or crusty bread.

Tips

• Keep the skin above the sauce for the last simmer so it stays a little crisp.
• No tarragon? Use extra parsley and a few chives; the dish is still lovely.

Sources

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

RecipeTin Eats BBC Good Food olive magazine