Slow cider-cooked chicken with crispy skin, tender meat and flavour-packed sauce
This is a simple, thrifty meal using chicken legs and Worley’s Cider. You’ll end up with chicken that’s crispy on the outside but soft and tender underneath. There’s also a rich cider and mushroom sauce to go with it. It’s not quite a one-pot affair, but gets close!
Ingredients
4 large chicken legs (or 8 thighs)
1 pack chestnut mushrooms (any kind really, but chestnut are tasty and not too watery)
400ml approx Worley’s Cider (medium)
Knob of butter
Bay leaf
2 sprigs thyme
Double cream or cornflour (optional)
Chopped parsley
English mustard
Brown the seasoned chicken in batches before putting in casserole dish
1. Season the chicken with plenty of salt & pepper and brown on both sides in a frying pan. Put chicken in a shallow, ovenproof dish.
2. Pour about half the cider into the frying pan and let it bubble while scraping the crispy chickeny bits off the bottom. Pour in with the chicken, and add the rest of the cider – till it reaches about half way up the chicken. (this depends on the size of your dish really, so use your discretion)
Pour the rest of the cider around the chicken and mushrooms
2. Chop mushrooms into chunky slices and fry in a generous knob of butter till the juices run and the mushrooms brown slightly. Tip into the dish with the chicken.
4. Tuck in the bay and the thyme.
5. Cook at 140 degrees C/Gas mark 1 for one and a half hours. The skin will crisp if you just leave it and don’t baste or turn the chicken.
Ready to serve - or take the next step and add the mustard and cream
6. It’s ready to serve like this if you want a broth-like sauce. Adjust seasoning and sprinkle with chopped parsley. A bowl of plain rice would be perfect to accompany.
Pour the sauce into a pan and add mustard and cream
7. For a more sumptuous dish, pour off the sauce into a pan. Whisk in a few tablespoons of double cream and a teaspoon of English mustard. Adjust seasoning, and add more mustard if required. To avoid the cream, mix a few teaspoons of cornflour with some cold cider or water in a teacup. Add till you get your required thickness.
8. Serve with mash & veg and a drop of Worley’s Cider to wash it down.
(There are only 3 left at this stage because I accidently ate one)
Chicken in a cream and cider sauce - an antedote to the cold
yum yummy yum!