Ingredients

The following ingredients have 4 Servings
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1.5 kg / 3lb bone in, skin on chicken thighs and drumsticks ((6 to 8 pieces))
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2 onions (, halved and cut into wedges)
  • 2 garlic cloves (, minced)
  • 3 large carrots (, cut thick end into 1.5cm / 3/5" pieces, thin end 2.5cm/1")
  • 4 celery stalks (, cut into 2cm / 4/5" chunks)
  • 1/2 cup (125 ml) white wine ((or water))
  • 3 tbsp (35g) flour
  • 3 cups (750 ml) chicken broth (, low low sodium)
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 tsp Worscestershire sauce
  • 3 sprigs thyme (, or 1 tsp dried thyme (or other herb))
  • 2 bay leaves ((dried or fresh))
  • 600 g / 1.2lb baby potatoes (, halved (quarter large ones))
  • Fresh thyme or parsley ((chopped))
  • Warm crusty bread

Instruction

  • Preheat oven to 180C/350F.
  • Heat oil in a large pot over high heat. Brown chicken on both sides until light golden, sprinkling with salt and pepper. Remove from pot. (Do in 2 batches if pot not big enough).
  • If there's too much oil in the pot, discard some. Add onion and garlic. Cook for 2 minutes until onion is translucent.
  • Add carrots and celery, cook for 1 minute.
  • Add wine. Stir, scraping the bottom of the pan to dissolve the brown bits into the liquid. Cook for 1 minute until liquid is mostly gone.
  • Sprinkle flour across surface, stir.
  • Add broth, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, thyme and bay leaves. Stir to dissolve tomato paste.
  • Place chicken on top, keeping the skin above the liquid level as much as you can.
  • Bring to simmer then cover. Bake for 45 minutes.
  • Remove from oven, remove lid. Add potatoes, pushing them into the liquid and rearranging chicken so they sit on top (for lovely crispy skin).
  • Return to oven without the lid for a further 40 minutes until the chicken skin is deep golden and super crispy, the potatoes are soft and the sauce is thickened.
  • Taste sauce and adjust salt and pepper to taste.
  • Serve with warm crusty bread on the side to dunk in the sauce - or go all the way with Garlic Bread! Optional: garnish with extra fresh thyme leaves or parsley.