- Serves4
- CourseMain meal
- Prepare10 mins
- Cook55 mins
- Total time1 hr 5 mins
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 30g unsalted butter
- 8 chicken thighs
- 2 Braeburn apples, peeled, cored and cut into wedges
- 500g leeks, trimmed
- 1 unwaxed lemon, zest and juice
- 150ml dry vermouth
- 1½ tbsp Dijon mustard
- 250ml chicken stock
- 150ml crème fraîche
- 5 sprig/s thyme, leaves picked
- 5 sprig/s tarragon, finely chopped
- ¼ x 25g pack flat leaf parsley, leaves chopped, to serve
- Mashed potato, to serve
Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4. Heat ½ the oil and butter in a large casserole dish over a medium-high heat, add the chicken thighs, skin-side down, and cook, turning occasionally, until golden all over (about 10 minutes). Transfer to a plate and set aside.
Heat the remaining oil and butter in the casserole, add the apples and cook until beginning to caramelise (5-7 minutes). Remove and set aside with the chicken. Cut the leeks into 3cm pieces and add to the pan; cook over a low heat for 6-8 minutes until softened but not coloured. Add the lemon zest, fry for 20 seconds, then deglaze the pan with the vermouth, scraping the base. Stir in the mustard, then add the stock and crème fraîche. Bring up to a simmer before returning the chicken thighs, skin-side up, to the pan along with the apples. Scatter in the thyme and tarragon; season. Cover, transfer to the oven and braise for 20-25 minutes until the chicken is cooked through with no pink meat remaining. Stir in the lemon juice and scatter over the parsley.
Serve with mashed potato, if liked.
Cook’s tip
Making your own stock is simple, tastes delicious and helps to reduces waste in the kitchen. Head here for a recipe from the Waitrose Cookery School.
And to drink...
Kaapzicht Bush Vine Chenin Blanc, South Africa because this casserole calls for something fruity and bold.
Nutritional
Typical values per serving when made using specific products in recipe
Energy | 3,165kJ/ 762kcals |
|---|---|
Fat | 55g |
Saturated Fat | 22g |
Carbohydrates | 18g |
Sugars | 15g |
Fibre | 4.6g |
Protein | 38g |
Salt | 1.1g |