French Style Chicken

(All Recipes have Gluten-Free Options)

Chicken Fricassée with Morels (Serves 4)

This is one of those dishes which has that air of ‘special occasion’ about it yet is quick and easy enough to cook on any weekday evening. The chicken is cooked in a cream and wine sauce thus creating an indulgent and comforting dish; it will warm up the coldest, darkest winters day! The recipe is from Rick Stein’s cookbook, ‘Secret France’.

20g dried morels

200ml tepid water

40g unsalted butter

4 boneless chicken breasts, skin on

1 banana shallot, finely chopped

90g chestnut mushrooms cleaned and quartered

100ml Noilly Prat (or dry sherry)

130ml chicken stock

300g full-fat crème fraiche

Sea salt and black pepper

Soak the morels in the tepid water for about 15 minutes, then drain them in a fine sieve over a bowl. Strain the liquid and reserve 75ml for the sauce. Rinse the morels under cold water to remove any debris, dry them on kitchen paper and cut them in half lengthways.
Melt half of the butter in a large frying pan. Fry the chicken, skin-side down until light golden brown. Turn them over and repeat on the other side. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
Add the remaining butter to the pan. Fry the shallot over a medium heat until softened, then add the morels and chestnut mushrooms and fry for a few minutes. Add the Noilly Prat (or sherry), the reserved morel soaking liquid and chicken stock, bring to the boil then turn the heat down and simmer for 2-3 minutes.
Add the créme fraiche and stir, then put the chicken back in the pan along with any resting juices. Cover the pan and cook over a medium heat for about 8-10 minutes until the chicken is just cooked through. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately with rice or potatoes.

Three Mustard Chicken (Serves 4)

This recipe is from Tom Kerridge’s cookbook ‘Real Life Recipes’, it’s his take on the French classic ‘Poulet a là Moutarde’. He uses three mustards, including hot English Mustard so the sauce really packs a punch. For a tasty supper simply serve with green beans and steamed new potatoes or mashed potatoes.

8 chicken thighs (skin on and bone in)

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 banana shallots, finely sliced

4 garlic cloves, finely sliced

200ml dry white wine

400ml chicken stock

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon wholegrain mustard

2 teaspoons hot English mustard

150ml double cream

2 tablespoons tarragon leaves, finely chopped

Sea salt and black pepper

Season the chicken thighs on both sides with salt and pepper. Add the olive oil to a large saute pan over a medium heat, then add the chicken thighs, skin side down. Cook, without turning until the skin is a deep golden brown and very crispy – this will take about 15 minutes.
Turn the thighs over and cook for a further 5 minutes, then remove the chicken and set aside.
Increase the heat under the saute pan and add the shallots. Cook for 2 minutes then add the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the wine, stirring and scraping any sticky bits from the bottom. Let the wine bubble until reduced by half, then pour in the chicken stock.
Now stir in the three mustards and add the cream. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
Return the chicken to the pan, placing it skin side up (the skin needs to be exposed above the sauce to ensure it remains crispy). Cook for a further 8-10 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
Taste the sauce to check the seasoning, then sprinkle over the chopped tarragon.
Serve the chicken in the creamy mustard sauce with green beans and steamed or mashed potatoes on the side.

Guinea Fowl with Cabbage and Grapes (Serves 4)

This recipe is a French take on sweet and sour – the cabbage is cooked with sugar and vinegar whilst the guinea fowl is roasted with sweet grapes. Not only is it delicious but very easy to make, the cabbage is cooked on the stove whilst the guinea fowl roasts for about 40 minutes. You could of course make this recipe with chicken joints, but I do think that guinea fowl gives the dish a little more depth, as it has a slightly gamey flavour. Serve with boiled new potatoes.

2 guinea fowls, each jointed into 4 pieces

2 tablespoons olive oil

60g butter

1 onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, crushed

1 large Savoy cabbage

2 tablespoons caster sugar

50ml white wine vinegar

350ml chicken stock

Small bunch of sweet, seedless grapes (I like ‘Sable black grapes’)

Few sprigs fresh thyme

Sea salt and black pepper

Cut the cabbage into quarters, remove and discard the core, then shred the leaves.
Put half the oil and 30g of the butter in a large frying pan over a moderate heat. Add the chopped onion, stir for 5-8 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and cabbage, half the sugar and all of the vinegar, stir and season. Cook for 20-30 minutes, stirring frequently, over a moderate heat. Reserve in the pan.
Meanwhile, put the rest of the oil and 15g of the butter in a large frying pan, over a medium to high heat. Add half the guinea fowl pieces and fry for about 5 minutes until coloured, turn over, season and sprinkle with half the remaining sugar, continue to cook for 5 minutes. Remove and transfer to a roasting tin. Repeat with the remaining guinea fowl.
Pour the stock into the frying pan. Turn up the heat, bring to the boil, stirring. Add the remaining butter, boil for another minute then pour over the guinea fowl and scatter over the grapes and thyme. Roast in a preheated oven, 200’c fan, for 35-40 minutes. Turn off the oven, open the door and allow the guinea fowl to settle whilst you reheat the cabbage.
Serve the joints of guinea fowl and their juices on a bed of cabbage with the grapes scattered over.

Coq au Riesling (Serves 4)

This is the classic of classic dishes; a creamy take on ‘Coq au Vin’. A dish that not only exudes nostalgia but also comfort with its winey, creamy sauce. This particular recipe is from Nigel Slater’s cookbook ‘Real Food’, I’ve slightly adapted it to serve four. The flavours are perfectly balanced and it’s relatively quick and easy to make. It deserves to be served with some smooth mashed potatoes, but it’s pretty good just with a crisp green salad if you’re feeling virtuous!

50g butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

150g pancetta or streaky bacon, diced

2 onions, chopped

4 cloves of garlic, chopped

8 chicken thighs

250g chestnut mushrooms, halved or quartered

500ml medium-dry wine, such as Reisling

250ml double cream

3 tablespoons chopped parsley

Sea salt and black pepper

Melt the butter in a casserole and add the olive oil. Fry the diced pancetta (or streaky bacon), when it’s browned add the onions and garlic. Leave to cook over a moderate heat until the onions have softened but not coloured, then scoop everything out of the pan with a slotted spoon and keep to one side.
Add the chicken thighs to the casserole, let them brown well on all sides, add more oil if needed. Remove from the pan and keep to one side.
Add the mushrooms to the pan and cook for a few minutes, then return the pancetta, onions, garlic and chicken thighs. Turn up the heat, pour in the wine and bring quickly to the boil and then reduce to a simmer. Cook gently for 25 minutes, turning the chicken from time to time.
Lift out the chicken from the pan and pour in the cream. Continue to cook until the cream starts to thicken slightly. Season with salt and black pepper and stir in the parsley.
Return the chicken to the pan and reheat before serving.

Madame Renoir’s Chicken Sauté (Serves 6)

This recipe is apparently the chicken sauté dish which Madame Renoir would make for her husband, painter Auguste Renoir. I found it in Rick Stein’s cookbook ‘Secret France’. I would agree with Mr Stein, that what makes this dish really special is the addition of chicken livers which are chopped so finely that they become more of a seasoning than an flavour, plus their texture enriches the dish beautifully. Serve with my ‘Favourite Mashed Potato’ (recipe here) and a good green salad.

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 chicken (1.8kg) jointed into 8 pieces, or 8 large chicken thighs

30g unsalted butter

2 medium onions, sliced

1 large garlic clove, chopped

Handful of parsley, chopped

A few thyme sprigs

1 bay leaf

2 large tomatoes, skinned and quartered

75g button mushrooms, quartered

16 black olives, pitted

50g chicken livers, trimmed and finely chopped

2 tablespoons Cognac

Sea salt and black pepper

Persillade, to serve:

Handful of parsley

1 large garlic clove

Heat the oil in a shallow casserole dish or frying pan and gently brown the chicken pieces in batches. Set aside.
Add the butter to the pan and soften the onions, garlic and herbs. Season with plenty of salt and black pepper and add the tomatoes and 100ml of water. Put the chicken back in the pan and cook for 20-25 minutes. Check halfway through cooking and add a little more water if the dish looks dry.
Add the mushrooms, olives, chopped livers and the Cognac, then continue to cook for another 3-4 minutes.
Taste and season with more salt and pepper if needed. Remove the thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Finely chop the parsley and garlic together and then sprinkle over the dish. Serve at once with mashed potatoes and a good green salad.

Roast Poussin with Leek, Roast Pear & Goats Cheese (Serves 4)

I adore the flavours of this recipe, the sweetness of the roast pear and the tangy freshness of the goats cheese complement the poussin beautifully. Of course, instead of poussin you could use a spatchcock chicken – it may need 5-10 minutes more in the oven, but the leeks and pears will be fine. This recipe is taken from ‘Leiths How to Cook’ – a classic cookbook!

If you get your poussin from your butcher, ask him to spatchcock them for you, alternatively it is very easy to do yourself…

How to Spatchcock a Poussin or Chicken:

On the backside of the poussin/chicken, using a pair of strong kitchen scissors, cut along either side of the back bone to remove it, then flip the poussin/ chicken over and press down very firmly on its breast bones, it will give a satisfying crack as it flattens!

Click here to watch the video on me spatchcocking a chicken on my Instagram Page!

For the Chicken:

2 poussin, spatchcocked (or 1 small spatchcocked chicken – see note above)

3 firm pears

2 small leeks

4 tablespoons olive oil

2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped

½ tablespoon yellow mustard seeds

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

Bunch watercress

¼ lemon, juiced

2 tablespoons white wine

100g soft goats cheese

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Place the poussin (or chicken) in a shallow roasting tin.
Quarter and core the pears, there is no need to peel them. Wash and trim the leeks and cut on the diagonal into 2cm slices. Place the pears and leeks around the poussin. Drizzle with 3 tablespoons olive oil and scatter over the garlic, mustard seeds and fennel seeds. Season with salt and pepper.
Roast in a preheated oven, 200’c fan, for 35-40 minutes, turning the pears and leeks from time to time to ensure even browning, until the poussin are cooked and the pears and leeks are caramelised and tender.
Place the watercress in a bowl, squeeze over the lemon juice and drizzle over with the remaining olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and toss to mix, then arrange on plates.
Once the poussin are cooked transfer to a plate with the pears and leeks to rest for 5 minutes. Meanwhile pour off any fat from the juices in the roasting tin, add the wine and some salt and pepper, and bring quickly to the boil.
Carve the poussin, place on the plates with the watercress and the pears and leeks. Dress with the pan juices. Pull the goats cheese into pieces and scatter over to serve.

Chicken Pot Parmentier (Serves 6)

This is an elegant yet comforting dish, I must admit that it’s not the quickest of recipes, but the result is definitely worth it! The tasty chicken filling is topped with buttery mash – a french take on a shepherds pie, but dare I say it, better?!…I have taken the recipe from David Leibovitz’s wonderful cookbook, ‘My Paris Kitchen’.

500g chicken breasts

1 litre chicken stock

3 carrots, peeled and diced

2 celery sticks, diced

8 shallots, peeled and halved

85g butter

60g plain flour (gluten-free if required)

1 clove garlic, crushed

2 tablespoons dry white wine

130g peas

2 tablespoons tarragon, finely chopped

2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

1 teaspoon sea salt

½ teaspoon freshy ground black pepper

For the potato topping:

1.2kg potatoes (such as Maris Piper), peeled and cut into large chunks

85g butter, cubed at room temperature plus 2 tablespoons melted

1 teaspoon sea salt

3 large egg yolks

80ml double cream

Freshly ground black pepper

Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

First of all cook the chicken breasts by dropping them into a pan of boiling water, turn off the heat and cover. Leave for about 15 minutes by which time they should be cooked through (if they are very large cut them in half). Allow to cool before cutting into bitesize chunks and set aside.
To make the filling, heat the stock in a saucepan over a medium heat with the carrots, celery and shallots. Let it simmer for about 15 minutes until the vegetables are almost tender. Turn off the heat and set aside.
Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly for 2 minutes. Whisk in a few ladlefuls of the warm stock into the flour mixture. Gradually add all the stock, including the vegetables, stirring as you go. Cook for about 10 minutes until the sauce has thickened. During the last minutes of cooking add the garlic and white wine.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the chunks of chicken, peas, tarragon, parsley, salt and pepper. Taste, adding more seasoning if necessary. Pour the mixture into a shallow baking dish (2.5/3litre) and set on a baking sheet.
To make the potato topping, cook the potatoes until tender (either steam them or cook in a pan of boiling water). Drain, then mash with the cubed butter and salt. Let the mashed potatoes cool for about 5 minutes before stirring in the egg yolks. Finally stir in the cream, a generous amount of pepper and the nutmeg.
Spread the mash over the chicken filling and dribble over the melted butter with a pastry brush. Bake in a preheated oven, 200’c fan, for 30 minutes until the potatoes are golden brown.

Chicken Open-Pot Roast (Serves 4)

This is one of those recipes that I turn to time and time again when I want a quick, hands-free supper. You don’t need any accompaniments – it’s all in the pot! By keeping the lid off the pot the skin of the chicken becomes beautifully crisp and golden. This recipe is taken from Rachel Allen’s cookbook ‘Easy Meals’!

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 chicken jointed or 6-8 chicken thighs with skin

450g new potatoes, unpeeled, halved if large

2 small leeks or 1 large leek, trimmed and cut into 3cm lengths

250ml chicken stock

1 sprig of tarragon, plus 1 tablespoon chopped tarragon leaves

2-3 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Sea salt and black pepper

Put the olive oil in a casserole over a high heat, then season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper and place skin side down in the hot oil. Cook for about 5 minutes or so until a deep golden brown (you may find it easier to do this in batches). Flip over and quickly sear the underside before removing to a plate.
Add the potatoes and leeks to the casserole, stir around in the hot fat for a couple of minutes before returning the chicken, skin side up.
Pour in the stock and add the sprig of tarragon. Bring to the boil, then place the casserole, uncovered, in a preheated oven, 200’c fan. Cook for about 30 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the potatoes are tender.
Remove from the oven and stir in the chopped tarragon, Dijon mustard and lemon juice (to taste) and serve immediately.

Chicken, Leek and Tarragon Gratin (Serves 3-4)

Such a good way to use up leftover cooked chicken but so delicious that it’s worth cooking a couple of chicken breasts to simply make it! Serve with peas or green beans.

*if you haven’t any leftover chicken simply add 2 chicken breasts to a pan of boiling water, remove from the heat and leave to poach for about 15-20 minutes until cooked through.

800g potatoes (such as maris piper)

400g leeks

4 spring onions

30g butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon plain flour (gluten free if required)

200ml white wine

400ml milk

400g cooked chicken (see note above)

A large bunch of fresh tarragon, leaves chopped

Peel and boil the potatoes, drain and allow to cool before thinly slicing.
Quarter the leeks lengthways, then hold them together and slice them across into small pieces. Chop the spring onions.
Melt the butter with a tablespoon of oil in a deep frying pan, stir in the leeks and spring onions, cook over a medium heat until soft and patched with gold. Sprinkle over the flour, stirring until it has been absorbed, increase the heat a little and add the wine, stirring until thick, then stir in the milk. Simmer for a few minutes, stirring until the sauce has thickened. Season with salt and pepper.
Tear the chicken into bite-size pieces and stir through the leek sauce along with the chopped tarragon. Pour into a baking dish and arrange the sliced potatoes , overlapping, over the top. Brush with olive oil.
Bake in the oven, 200’c fan, for 30-40 minutes until the potatoes a golden and crisp.

Easy Baked Tarragon Chicken (Serves 4)

Tarragon is my all-time favourite herb, and the marriage between this herb and chicken is, in my opinion, heaven! This recipe is ideal midweek; once the chicken is browned on the stove you just have to cook it in the oven for 30 minutes and then finish off the gravy – how easy it that?!…You can easily leave out the cream if you prefer a lighter sauce. I like to serve this with Braised Baby Gem Lettuce – recipe here.

For the Chicken:

50g butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

Small chicken jointed or 8 chicken thighs

2 shallots or 1 small onion, finely sliced

120ml white wine

Several sprigs of tarragon

For the gravy:

20g butter

Handful of tarragon leaves and parsley, chopped

Sprig of thyme (optional)

150ml double cream (optional)

Melt the butter with the oil in a casserole dish, then brown the chicken on all sides.
Add the onions, wine and tarragon to the dish, stir and bring to a gentle simmer, cover and place in a preheated oven, 210’c fan. Cook for 30 minutes until the chicken is cooked.
Transfer the chicken pieces to a serving dish and set aside to rest.
Meanwhile make the gravy. Put the pan with the chicken juices and onion on the hob, remove the tarragon sprigs, then stir in the butter and the chopped herbs and sprig of thyme, mixing well. Remove from the heat and, if using, stir in the double cream.
To serve, pour the gravy over the chicken pieces.

Rotisserie-Style Roast Chicken (Serves 4-6)

This is a rather special roast chicken recipe from Rick Stein’s cookbook ‘Secret France’, it takes its inspiration from the French ‘fast food’ chicken which you often find in local French markets and ‘boucheries’. I am sure that many of you will have savoured this delicious chicken on your visits to France particularly around Paris; the chickens are slowly roasted on an outdoor rotisserie with sliced potatoes underneath to catch all the delicious roasting juices, heaven! In this recipe the chicken is similarly roasted on a bed of sliced potatoes at a low temperature for 2-2½ hours, although this may seem a long time it comes out incredibly succulent. It’s a very handsfree recipe, so can easily be made midweek, it just needs a good green salad and is also great with a beetroot and mint salad (recipe here).

1 free range chicken (about 1.7kg)

½ lemon

1 clove garlic, bashed

700g potatoes (such as Maris Piper), peeled and cut into 2cm thick slices

2 tablespoons olive oil

For the Spice Rub:

2 teaspoons paprika

Good pinch of cayenne

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon dried thyme

40g butter, softened

First of all make the spice rub by mixing all the spices and seasoning together and blending with the butter.
Put the lemon half and the garlic inside the cavity of the chicken and tie up the legs.
Rub the spiced butter all over the chicken.
Place the sliced potatoes in a roasting tin, drizzle over the olive oil, place the chicken in the middle of the roasting tin on top of the potatoes.
Roast in a preheated oven, 130’c fan, for around 2½ hours. Baste the chicken and potatoes a few times during the cooking time.
Rest the chicken for about 10 minutes before carving, whilst it is resting, if I want the potatoes a little crispier, I often crank up the oven to 200’c and return them to the oven .
Serve the carved chicken with the potatoes and pan juices spooned over. It is delicious with a simple green salad with a classic vinaigrette (recipe here) and a beetroot salad (recipe here).

Chicken with Cider (Poulet au Cidre) (Serves 4)

This is a classic dish from Normandy and Brittany, the apple growing regions of France. The sauce, with the apples, is perfect for an autumnal evening meal. This recipe is taken from a French recipe book I have had for many years, ‘The Food of France’. This dish is delicious with Concetta’s potatoes (recipe here) and green beans.

8 chicken thighs, skin on

2 dessert apples, such as granny smith

Juice of ½ lemon

60g butter

½ onion, finely chopped

½ celery stick, chopped

10g plain flour (gluten free if required)

80ml Calvados or brandy

375ml cider

100ml créme frâiche

Peel and core the apples. Finely chop one half of one apple and cut the rest into 12 wedges. Toss in the lemon juice (this will stop it browning).
Heat half the butter in a large frying pan and brown the chicken thighs, skin side down. Turn over and cook for another 5 minutes.
Remove the chicken. Pour away any fat and heat 20g more of the butter in the same pan. Add the celery, onion and chopped apple. Fry over a moderate heat for 5 minutes until softened but not browned.
Sprinkle the vegetables with the flour, stir, then add the calvados (or brandy). Gradually add the cider, stirring.
Bring to the boil, return the chicken to the pan, cover, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook gently for 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through (make a cut on the underside of the thigh beside the bone to check).
Meanwhile heat the remaining butter in a small frying pan and fry the apple wedges over a moderate heat until browned on each side, and tender.
Remove the chicken from the pan, keep warm. Skim off any excess fat from the sauce. Add the créme frâiche, bring back to the boil, and boil gently for 3-4 minutes until the sauce it slightly thickened – enough to lightly coat the back of a spoon. Check the seasoning.
To serve, pour the sauce over the chicken with the apple wedges on the side. I like to serve this with Green Beans and Concetta’s potatoes (recipe here).

Chicken with Mushrooms, Chickpeas & Tarragon Oil (Serves 4)

This simple recipe is cooked in one pan, the chickpea ‘stew’ is cooked under the chicken thighs so catches all of their beautiful juices. I found this recipe in Nina Parker’s cookbook ‘Nina St Tropez’, a favourite book of mine. The tarragon oil it also a great dressing for salads, particularly with chicken and avocado.

3 tablespoons olive oil

8 chicken thighs, skin on and bone in

3 banana shallots, thinly sliced

400g tinned chickpeas, drained and rinsed

400g chestnut mushrooms, halved or quartered depending on size

2 star anise

3 cloves garlic, sliced

Bunch of fresh thyme, leaves picked

Sea salt and black pepper

For the Tarragon Oil

¾ teaspoon chopped garlic

6 tablespoons fresh tarragon leaves, chopped

12 tablespoons olive oil

6 teaspoons cider vinegar

6 teaspoons lemon juice

¾ teaspoon sugar

Sea salt and black pepper

Heat the oil in a large saucepan or casserole dish (with a lid). Season the chicken thighs and place in the hot pan, skin side down. Cook for about 6 minutes until golden.
Remove from the pan and add the shallots, stir and cook for a minute or two, then add the mushrooms cook for another 2-3 minutes.
Now add the chickpeas and the star anise, stir well before finally adding the garlic and thyme, stir again.
Return the chicken to the pan, skin side up, on top of the chickpea mixture. Cover with a lid, turn down the heat to barely simmering and cook for 15 minutes.
Remove the lid, and continue to cook for another 5-10 minutes until any liquid has been absorbed by the chickpeas and mushroom mixture. Check the thighs are cooked (make a cut on the underside of the thigh beside the bone to check).
Meanwhile make the tarragon oil by pounding the garlic with a little salt in a mortar and pestle, then add the remaining ingredients, mixing well.
Remove the star anise from the chicken and chickpeas, and serve with tarragon oil.

Tarragon Pot Roast Chicken (Serves 4)

This is probably one of my all-time favourite chicken recipes – have I sold it to you?!… Seriously, it is very good and is super easy; the sauce is created from the delicious juices which are caught under the chicken in the pot. Tarragon and chicken are, of course, a classic combination, so you honestly can’t go wrong with this recipe! I serve it with Garlic Green Beans, which are amazing – try them – and also with either Concetta’s Potatoes or Roast Potatoes .

2 tablespoons chopped tarragon

1 garlic clove, crushed

50g unsalted butter, softened

1 x 1.6-1.8 kg chicken

2 teaspoons oil

150ml chicken stock

30ml white wine

1 tablespoon plain flour (gluten free if required)

1 heaped tablespoon tarragon leaves, roughly chopped

150ml double cream

Mix together half the butter with the 2 tablespoons of chopped tarragon and the garlic. Season with salt and pepper and place inside the cavity of the chicken, then tie the legs together.
Heat the remaining butter and the oil in a large casserole dish, and brown the chicken all over.
Add the wine and chicken stock. Cover the casserole and place in a preheated oven, 200’c fan, for 1 hour 20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked.
Remove the chicken to rest in a warm place, making sure that you drain any juices from it back into the pan.
Skim a tablespoon of the surface fat from the cooking liquid and put it in a small bowl. Skim off any remaining fat and discard.
Add the flour to the reserved fat and mix to a smooth paste.
Whisk the paste into the cooking liquid over a moderate heat until the sauce boils and thickens.
Strain the sauce into a clean saucepan and add the heaped tablespoon of chopped tarragon leaves, simmer for 2 minutes and then add the cream, reheating without boiling. Season with salt and pepper.
Carve the chicken, serve with the sauce spooned over and with Garlic Green Beans, Concetta’s potatoes or Roast potatoes (Click here for recipes).

Pot Roast Chicken with Figs (Serves 4-6)

I love pot roasting chicken as once in the oven it just looks after itself. It is less fatty and messy to cook than a traditional roast, plus the juices caught in the bottom of the pot create a lovely sauce and the chicken comes out perfectly moist! This recipe with the figs is rather luxurious, and naturally very tasty. Any leftover figs are great the next day cold (and sticky!) with prosciutto or other cold meats – what a beautiful lunch!! I found this recipe in Diana Henry’s wonderful cookbook ‘A Bird in the Hand’, which concentrates purely on chicken recipes – it is a very comforting cookbook. I like to serve this dish with either Perfect Roast Potatoes or Concetta’s Potatoes (recipes here)

1½ tablespoons olive oil

1.8kg chicken

1 large onion, chopped

2 tablespoons Armagnac

125ml dry white wine

125ml chicken stock

4 sprigs of thyme

1 bay leaf

12 -18 figs, stalks snipped, halved

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

2 tablespoons honey

20g cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes

Sea salt and black pepper

Season the chicken with salt and pepper, heat the oil in a large casserole dish (with a lid) and brown the chicken all over.
Pour off most of the fat and fry the onion until soft and golden.
Deglaze the pan with the Armagnac, scraping the base of the pan with a wooden spoon to remove all the sticky bits, then add the wine, stock, thyme and bay leaf. Season with black pepper.
Return the chicken and any juices that have run out of it. Cover, put in a preheated oven, 180’c fan, for 70 minutes, then remove the lid and cook for another 20 minutes. Baste every so often
Remove the Chicken from the pan and keep warm. Skim off the fat from the cooking juices and strain into a frying pan. Boil to reduce them, until they become slightly syrupy.
Reduce the heat and add the figs, vinegar and honey. Cook for about 4 minutes.
Remove the figs with a slotted spoon and whisk in the cubed butter to make a rich and shiny sauce.
Serve the Chicken, either whole or jointed, on a warm platter with the figs surrounding it and the sauce in a jug on the side

Tarragon Chicken Pie (Serves 4)

This is an absolute favourite in our house and one which Felix insists that I cook when he is back from university! It is a recipe that I picked up from a magazine years ago and have tweaked over the years.

I’m gluten free, so unfortunately these days I can’t eat the pastry, but the filling is a treat in itself. I usually serve this with buttered new potatoes. I use ‘Jus Rol, Ready Rolled Puff Pastry’, they have started to make a gluten free puff pastry, I haven’t tried it, but I have heard mixed reviews so for the moment I will continue to be an unselfish ‘head cook’ and stick to the normal pastry that both Nick and Felix love! I prefer to use fresh chicken stock, but you could use a stock cube.

320g pack of ready rolled puff pastry (see note above)

1 tablespoon olive oil

15g butter

3 spring onions, chopped

1 shallot, chopped

75g diced pancetta

500g chicken breast, cut into bite size cubes

225ml chicken stock (see note above)

250g frozen peas

8-10 sprigs of tarragon

3 slices of Prosciutto ham, each slice rolled and cut into 2cm pieces/ribbons

2 tablespoons of double cream

Sea salt and black pepper

1 egg yolk mixed with 1 tablespoon of milk (for a glaze)

First of all, take the pastry out of the fridge as it needs at least 20 minutes to come to room temperature. Preheat the oven 200’c fan.
Heat the oil and butter in a large frying pan, add the spring onions, shallots and pancetta, fry for 2-3 minutes.
Add the chicken, season with salt and pepper and fry for another 5 minutes.
Pour in the chicken stock and peas, bring to a simmer, and add the chopped leaves of 6-7 of the sprigs of tarragon. Cook for 5 minutes until the peas are tender.
Stir in the prosciutto and the cream, pour into a pie dish. Sprinkle over the chopped leaves of the remaining tarragon.
For the pastry top, gently lay out the pastry. Cut it into a circular shape to top the pie dish. I find that by cutting strips of the remaining pastry, pressing them around the rim of the pie dish and then topping with the pastry top, helps the pastry rise – see photo. I also cut out a few leaves for decoration, but obviously, this doesn’t affect the flavour so if you’re in a hurry I’d leave this out! Lightly score the pastry with a criss-cross pattern to help it rise and make sure you cut out a deep cross in the centre to allow the steam to escape during cooking. Brush over with the egg and milk glaze.
Place in the preheated oven, bake for 25-30 minutes.
Serve with new potatoes.

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