Description
A comforting dish filled with tender chicken, fragrant herbs, and crisp bacon lardons, perfect for family gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 lbs chicken thighs and legs
- Salt, to taste
- 4 shallots, diced (or 1 medium onion)
- 1 rib celery, diced
- 4–5 sprigs thyme
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 125g/4 oz bacon lardons (or 6 strips of bacon, chopped)
- 2 tbsp brandy or whiskey
- 2 tbsp flour
- 1/3 cup (85 ml) chicken stock
- 1 1/2 cups (400 ml) hard dry apple cider (like Strongbow)
- 2 apples, peeled, cored, and cut into wedges
- 1/2 cup (125 ml) double cream or heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Pat dry the chicken pieces and season generously with salt. Heat olive oil in a spacious oven-safe pan over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken in batches, about 5-7 minutes per side until golden, then set aside.
- In the same pan, add bacon and fry until crisp. Remove the bacon and set aside, leaving the fat.
- In the remaining fat, sauté shallots, celery, and 2 sprigs of thyme over low heat until soft, about 5 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
- Deglaze the pan with brandy, scraping the bottom. Cook off the alcohol for about 2 minutes.
- Stir in flour to form a paste, cooking for about a minute. Gradually add chicken stock while stirring, then pour in apple cider.
- Return chicken and crispy bacon to the pan along with remaining thyme. Bring to a boil.
- Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Then uncover and bake for an additional 30 minutes.
- Fry apple wedges in the reserved fat until golden and caramelized.
- Stir in cream into the casserole and continue uncovered for another 20 minutes.
- Add cooked apples, stir, and serve hot alongside mashed potatoes or rice.
Notes
For best results, use fresh, free-range chicken. You can also substitute chicken breasts, but be aware of potential drying out. Enjoy with creamy mashed potatoes or fresh baguette.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 90 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 35g
- Cholesterol: 120mg