Braised chicken with leeks & fennel
All the joys of a roast without the stress – Charmaine Katz's one-pot beauty of succulent chicken has tender leeks, fennel, potatoes and a liquid gold wine and crème fraîche broth. The beauty of this is that it’s largely fuss-free. Cook in a pot with a lid, or use a deep roasting tray and cover tightly with foil.
- Serves4
- CourseMain meal
- Prepare15 mins
- Cook1 hr 40 mins
- Total time1 hr 55 mins
Ingredients
- 1½kg slower reared medium chicken
- 2 leeks, thoroughly washed
- 3 carrots, peeled
- 1 bulb fenne
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 5 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 6 sprig/s fresh thyme
- 1 tsp salt
- 500g small waxy potatoes (such as La Ratte), halved
- 600ml white wine
- 1 lemon, halved
- 3 tbsp crème fraîche, more if liked
Method
Take the chicken out of the fridge 30 minutes before you are ready to cook. Meanwhile, cut the leeks and carrots into 2cm rounds. Finely slice the fennel stalks, reserving any fronds, and cut the bulb cut into six wedges.
Preheat the oven to 180ºC, gas mark 4. Heat a large casserole over a medium heat, add the oil, sweat the fennel tops, garlic and fennel seeds and cook for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant.
Add the carrots, leeks, fennel wedges, thyme and salt and sauté for 5 minutes on a medium heat, stirring occasionally. Add the potatoes, cook for 5 minutes more, then pour in the white wine and bring to a boil.
Season the chicken generously all over with sea salt flakes and cracked black pepper and put the lemon halves into the cavity. Once the vegetables are boiling, turn off the heat and add the chicken to the pot, breast-side down, so it fits snugly (jig the vegetables around to make room). Cover with a piece of baking parchment, then tuck it around the chicken, to protect the skin and lock in the moisture. Cover with a lid, then place in the oven and cook for 1 hour 10 minutes.
Remove the pan from the oven, take off the lid and remove the paper, then carefully flip the chicken so it’s breast-side up (be careful of the liquid in the cavity). Turn the oven up to 200ºC, gas mark 6 and roast for 10 minutes, more until the skin is browned and the top layer of vegetables have taken on some colour.
Check the chicken is thoroughly cooked – the juices should run clear with no pink meat. Place on a plate or tray with a lip to catch the resting juices and leave to rest for 20-30 minutes. Check the vegetables – if they need a little more cooking, place back in the oven for 5-10 minutes more.
To finish the broth, take a ladle of liquid and place in a small bowl. Stir in the crème fraîche until fully incorporated, then stir back into the broth with the vegetables (this helps prevent splitting) and resting juices. Taste and season, adding more crème fraîche to your liking. Carve the chicken. Serve the vegetables in shallow bowls with plenty of broth and the chicken on top. Finish with the fennel fronds.
Cook’s tip
The right cooking temperatures are crucial for cooking this recipe. If using a fan oven, cook your chicken initially at 150-160 degrees, then raise to 200 degress for Step 5, as oven temperatures vary.
And to drink...
Rapaura Springs Rohe Sauvignon Blanc
‘A buyers’ favourite and exclusive to Waitrose, it’s a must for Sauvignon Blanc fans who want to try something new’ – Imogen Bowen-Davies, buyer
Nutritional
Typical values per serving when made using specific products in recipe
Energy | 3,515kJ/ 844kcals |
|---|---|
Fat | 43.2g |
Saturated Fat | 13.4g |
Carbohydrates | 29.4g |
Sugars | 11g |
Fibre | 10.7g |
Protein | 52g |
Salt | 2g |