Pot-roast chicken with Hunters’ Sauce

“This is one of my favourite recipes from Slow–I just love the flavours in it. Cooking the chicken whole makes it even more succulent, but you can also do it with chicken pieces. Pheasant and partridge are great cooked this way too, but will only need 30–45 minutes.” - James
Image credit: Tara Fisher

Ingredients

  • 1 onion
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 6 smoked streaky bacon rashers
  • Rapeseed oil, for frying
  • 100g button mushrooms
  • 125ml white wine
  • 2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
  • 1 litre brown chicken stock
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • 2 tbsp fresh tarragon leaves
  • 400g new potatoes
  • 1 x 2kg chicken, giblets removed
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Preheat the oven to 170°C/325°F/Gas mark 3. Cut the onion, garlic and bacon into large dice. Place a 3-litre flameproof casserole dish over a medium heat. Add a little oil, then the bacon and fry until golden brown. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 2 minutes until softened.

Slice the mushrooms thickly, add to the pan, and fry for a further minute. Add the wine and tomatoes, bring to the boil and simmer for 3 minutes, then add the stock. Bring back to the boil and season with salt, pepper and sugar. Chop the tarragon and add half of it to the pan, reserving the rest.

Cut the potatoes into 1cm slices and add them to the pan. Place the chicken on top, pressing it down lightly to immerse it in the stock, then cover with a lid and cook in the oven for 11⁄2 hours. After 1 hour, remove the lid and baste the chicken with the sauce. Return to the oven, uncovered, to allow the chicken to brown.

When the chicken is cooked, remove it and place on a chopping board. Leave to rest for 5 minutes. Add the remaining tarragon to the sauce, stir well and taste to check the seasoning. Carve the chicken into portions: cut the legs off, cut through the joint to separate the drumsticks from the thighs, and carve the breasts off the carcass. Place on a serving dish, then spoon the sauce and potatoes over the chicken.

Ingredients

  • 1 onion
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 6 smoked streaky bacon rashers
  • Rapeseed oil, for frying
  • 100g button mushrooms
  • 125ml white wine
  • 2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
  • 1 litre brown chicken stock
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • 2 tbsp fresh tarragon leaves
  • 400g new potatoes
  • 1 x 2kg chicken, giblets removed
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Preheat the oven to 170°C/325°F/Gas mark 3. Cut the onion, garlic and bacon into large dice. Place a 3-litre flameproof casserole dish over a medium heat. Add a little oil, then the bacon and fry until golden brown. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 2 minutes until softened.

Slice the mushrooms thickly, add to the pan, and fry for a further minute. Add the wine and tomatoes, bring to the boil and simmer for 3 minutes, then add the stock. Bring back to the boil and season with salt, pepper and sugar. Chop the tarragon and add half of it to the pan, reserving the rest.

Cut the potatoes into 1cm slices and add them to the pan. Place the chicken on top, pressing it down lightly to immerse it in the stock, then cover with a lid and cook in the oven for 11⁄2 hours. After 1 hour, remove the lid and baste the chicken with the sauce. Return to the oven, uncovered, to allow the chicken to brown.

When the chicken is cooked, remove it and place on a chopping board. Leave to rest for 5 minutes. Add the remaining tarragon to the sauce, stir well and taste to check the seasoning. Carve the chicken into portions: cut the legs off, cut through the joint to separate the drumsticks from the thighs, and carve the breasts off the carcass. Place on a serving dish, then spoon the sauce and potatoes over the chicken.

Slow New V1

Slow Cooking: Mouthwatering Recipes with Minimum Effort

“Remember the food your grandmother used to make? The cakes, the stews and casseroles that were slow cooked and filled the house with the most memorable smells? This book contains recipes from the UK and beyond, and is the ultimate in foolproof, stress-free cooking. Minimum effort but maximum flavour!” - James