Braising the chicken in beer gives this recipe a really rich depth of flavour, paired with salty bacon nuggets and tender mushrooms.
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Yields:
4 serving(s)
Prep Time:
20 mins
Cook Time:
35 mins
Total Time:
55 mins
Ingredients
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
4 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs
65 g pancetta lardons
30 g unsalted butter
200 g baby chestnut mushrooms, halved
2 eschalion shallots, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely crushed
1 Tbsp. plain flour, plus 1tsp
200 ml pale ale
150 ml chicken stock, using 1/2 a stock cube
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
4 sprigs fresh thyme
50 ml double cream
Fresh parsley, finely chopped, to serve
Directions
Step 1Combine the dried oregano with the garlic and onion powders, a large pinch of salt and some pepper. Use to season the chicken thighs, tossing to coat, and set aside. Preheat the oven to 200°C (fan 180°C) mark 6. Starting with a cold, deep ovenproof skillet, cook the lardons over a medium/high heat , stirring occasionally, until lightly golden and crispy and the lardons have rendered most of their fat, about 6-8min. Remove with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat in the pan.
Step 2Add the chicken thighs skin-side down to the hot pan and sear undisturbed for 6-8min until the skin is deep golden brown. Flip and sear the other side for 3min. Remove and set aside. Add the butter to the pan, let melt, then add the mushrooms and sauté for 3-4min until golden. Remove and add to the lardons. Add shallots with a pinch of salt. Cook until softened, stirring occasionally, about 4-5min. Reduce the heat to medium, add the crushed garlic and flour and cook for 1min, stirring often.
Step 3Pour in the ale and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring to the boil then bring to a steady simmer and let reduce by half, about 2min. Stir in the chicken stock and Dijon mustard. Stir the lardons and mushrooms back into the pan. Scatter over the thyme stalks and nestle in the chicken thighs, skin-side up. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake uncovered for 20-25min until the chicken has cooked through and the sauce has thickened.
Step 4Remove the chicken from the pan and stir the cream into the sauce. Return the chicken to the pan, scatter with the parsley and serve with crusty bread
GH TIP
Any leftover sauce is delicious tossed through pasta or rice.
Nadine is the Kitchen Editor, creating delicious, exciting recipes for GH. Her background is eclectic – time spent as a teen mag website editor interviewing the likes of Lady Gaga before becoming a standby contestant for GBBO - and it shows in her style cooking. Full of flavour, interesting stories and fun!
