Ingredients
- 8 chicken thighs, skin on and bone in
- 50g + 20g butter
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 200g button mushrooms, sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 tbsp cognac or Brandy, optional
- 1 tbsp plain flour
- 150 ml white wine
- 250ml chicken / vegetable stock, warm
- 1 tsp tomato puree
- 1 tsp mustard
- ½ tin chopped tomatoes
- 1 tbsp parsley or tarragon, chopped
- Salt & freshly ground black pepper
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180˚C.
- In an oven-proof sauté pan or a casserole dish, over a medium heat, drizzle some oil and sear the chicken skin side down for 2-4 minutes or until the skin has browned. Season well with salt and pepper.
- Then, and add 50g of butter and let it foam.
- Add the chopped onion, mushrooms, garlic and sear for a further 2-4 minutes or until the mushrooms are coloured.
- If using, carefully pour the brandy over the mushroom and flambe until the flame dies down.
- Add the flour and stir with a wooden spoon for 1 minute or so.
- Deglaze with the wine, stirring to remove any lumps then add the stock, tomato puree, mustard, chopped tomatoes.
- Bring to a simmer and place the lid over.
- Transfer into the oven for 20-25 minutes or until the thighs are cooked through.
- Remove from the oven and lift the lid. If the sauce is still running, place the casserole back on the hob and simmer for a further 3-4 minutes until reaching the coating consistency on the back of a spoon. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
- Remove from the heat and finally add the tarragon and stir in 20g butter at the last minute to finish the sauce, if desired. I always add some!
- Serve with buttery mashed potatoes or other vegetable sides.
Tips:
1. Build layers of flavour:
Brown the chicken thighs well; don't rush this step. The golden brown colour left in the pan forms the base of a rich, deep-flavoured sauce once deglazed with wine or stock.
2. Control your sauce consistency:
After cooking in the oven, simmer the sauce uncovered for a few minutes until it coats the back of a spoon. This step concentrates the flavours and gives a luxurious, restaurant-style finish without being watery.
3. Finish with butter and herbs:
Always stir in the final knob of butter off the heat along with fresh tarragon or parsley. This enriches the sauce, adds shine, and balances the acidity of the tomatoes and wine beautifully.
