This chicken with sherry and shallot sauce pairs well with a full-bodied, oaked Chenin Blanc – packed with sweet pear and apple flavours.
Chicken with sherry and shallot sauce
Ingredients
- 30ml (2 tbsp) olive oil
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1,75kg chicken pieces
- 12 shallots, peeled and left whole
- 4 whole garlic cloves, peeled
- 2 Granny Smith apples, cored and sliced
- 30ml (2 tbsp) fresh thyme, chopped
- 200ml chicken stock
- 150ml medium dry sherry
- 125ml (½ cup) crème fraîche
- 60ml (¼ cup) whole-grain mustard
- a few sprigs of thyme, to serve
Instructions
Heat the oil in a frying pan and season the chicken pieces.
Fry the chicken in batches, browning it well on each side – each piece needs to be a lovely golden colour.
Remove the chicken pieces and place them in the slow cooker while you brown the shallots and garlic in the pan.
Place the shallots, garlic and apple in the slow cooker, scatter over the thyme, then pour in the stock and sherry.
Cover and set the timer for 6 hours on high.
When ready, remove the chicken, shallots and apples to a serving dish and keep it warm.
Whisk the crème fraîche and mustard into the sauce and thicken with a little cornflour if necessary. Season to taste and pour the sauce over the chicken.
Garnish with sprigs of thyme. Serve with new potatoes and fresh peas.
