Serves 4

This coq au vin is made with chicken thighs, which have a more succulent flavour, but you could use chicken breasts if you prefer. I love it with the garlic mashed potatoes, but buttered noodles would also work well and take much less time to prepare.

  • 25g (1oz) plain flour
  • 450g (1lb) skinless, boneless
  • chicken thighs, well trimmed
  • and quartered
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • knob of butter
  • 175g (6oz) button onions or small
  • shallots, halved
  • 175g (6oz) button mushrooms,
  • trimmed
  • 100g (4oz) pancetta (streaky
  • bacon lardons)
  • 450ml (3/4 pint) chicken stock
  • (from a cube is fine)
  • 150ml (¼ pint) red wine
  • 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp chopped fresh thyme, plus
  • extra leaves to garnish
  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh
  • flat-leaf parsley
  • sea salt and freshly ground
  • black pepper
  • garlic mashed potatoes to serve
  • steamed French beans, to serve

Season the flour and toss the chicken pieces in it until lightly coated, shaking off any excess. Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over a medium-high heat and tip in the dusted chicken. Sauté for

3–4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until just beginning to brown. Add the butter and toss until evenly coated, then add the onions or shallots, mushrooms and bacon and cook for another 3–4 minutes.

Pour the stock into the pan with the wine and Worcestershire sauce, then add the thyme. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for about 15 minutes, until the chicken and

vegetables are cooked through and the sauce is slightly reduced and thickened. Stir in the parsley and season to taste. Place the garlic mashed potatoes on warmed plates and spoon over the coq au vin. Garnish with some thyme leaves and add some French green beans to serve.

Chicken Thighs with Cider and Sweet Potatoes

When you're in the mood for a real winter warmer that has tonnes of flavour, appeals to all
the family and takes very little time to get in the oven compared to traditional casseroles,
you can’t go far wrong with this recipe. Serves 6–8

  • 12 rindless streaky bacon rashers
  • 12 skinless and boneless chicken thighs
  • 3 tbsp rapeseed oil
  • 2 onions, cut into wedges
  • 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 275g (10oz) flat mushrooms, sliced
  • 2 tbsp redcurrant jelly
  • finely grated rind of 1 orange
  • 450ml (¾ pint) chicken stock
  • 120ml (4fl oz) dry cider
  • 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
  • sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 tbsp toasted flaked almonds
  • creamy mashed potatoes, to serve

Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F/gas mark 6).

Stretch each rasher with the back of a table knife and then wrap it around a chicken thigh. Heat
the oil in a large casserole with a lid and cook the wrapped chicken thighs in batches until lightly
browned all over. Arrange on a plate and set aside.

Reduce the heat, then add the onions and sweet potatoes. Sauté for 5 minutes, until golden.
Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring to prevent it from sticking.

Add the bay leaf, mushrooms, redcurrant jelly and orange rind, then pour in the stock and cider.
Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat, return the chicken to the casserole and stir in the thyme.
Cover and cook for 1 hour, or until the chicken is completely tender and the sauce has thickened
slightly. Season to taste and stir in the parsley.

To serve, sprinkle the casserole with the flaked almonds, then place directly on the table with a
large bowl of creamy mashed potatoes to mop up all those delicious juices.