EquipmentLarge 28–30cm ovenproof casserole with a well-fitting lid, large enough for the whole chicken; tongs; digital meat thermometer.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the oven to 180°C conventional (160°C fan). Make sure the casserole and its lid are ovenproof and large enough for the chicken.
- Peel the shallots. Pat the chicken dry and season it with salt and black pepper. Leave the garlic cloves whole; peel them if you want to serve them in the sauce.
- Put the casserole over a medium-high heat. Brown the chicken on all sides, turning it carefully with tongs. Give the skin time to release from the pan. If the pan is very dry, add a little neutral oil.
- With the chicken breast-side up, scatter the shallots and garlic around it. Pour in the vermouth and chicken stock. Keep the liquid around the bird rather than over the browned skin.
- Put the lid on and transfer the casserole to the preheated oven. Cook for about 1½ hours. Start checking after 1 hour 15 minutes; a large chicken may need longer.
- Check the thickest part of the leg, between the drumstick and breast, without touching bone. It needs to reach 75°C for 30 seconds. If it has not, replace the lid and continue cooking, checking again at short intervals.
- Lift the chicken, shallots and garlic onto a warm platter. Cover loosely and leave the chicken to rest while you make the sauce.
- If the liquid in the casserole is thin, simmer it on the hob until it has enough body to coat a spoon. Turn the heat low, stir in the crème fraîche and add tarragon a little at a time. Warm through gently without a hard boil, then taste and adjust the salt and pepper.
- Carve the chicken. Serve it with the shallots, garlic and sauce, plus mashed potato topped with chopped spring onions and green vegetables.
Top tip
Keep the lid on for the oven braise. If the sauce is thin at the end, reduce the cooking liquid after lifting out the chicken, then stir in the crème fraîche over a gentle heat.
Tarragon
Fresh or dried tarragon works. Add it gradually at the end and taste as you go.
Serve with
Mashed potato with chopped spring onions and green vegetables, with plenty of the sauce spooned over the chicken.
Allergen note
Contains milk. Vermouth may contain sulphites. Check the stock and crème fraîche packaging for any additional allergens.
Storage & reheating
Cool leftovers promptly, refrigerate within 2 hours and eat within 48 hours, or freeze. Reheat only once until steaming hot throughout.
