With the erratic weather we’re not doing nearly as much outdoor cooking as we’d usually at this time of year. To keep up our spirits this indoor dish was light and summery. Serve with some new potatoes.
Wine Suggestion: A fun and inexpensive Verdicchio from Umani Ronchi, their Villa Bianchi, which despite it being light and easy going shows the class that the whole range they make has. Summery fun in a glass.
Crispy chicken thighs with peas and herbs – serves 4
- 8 chicken thighs
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 shallots, halved and sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 400ml chicken stock
- 300g frozen peas (or freshly podded if possible)
- 3 sprigs of tarragon, leaves picked and roughly chopped
- 2 springs of mint, leaves picked and roughly chopped
- 30g cold butter, cut into cubes
Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/Gas 6.
Trickle the olive oil over the chicken thighs and season both side with salt and pepper. Heat a large non-stick sauté pan over a medium heat, then place the thighs skin-side down in the pan and leave to cook for 15- 20 minutes or until the skin is crispy and golden brown.
Transfer the thighs, skin-side up, to an oven tray and bake in the oven for a further 15-20 minutes.
Meanwhile, put the sauté pan back over a medium heat. When it’s hot add the shallots and cook for 3-4 minutes to soften. Add the garlic and cook for another couple of minutes.
Pour the stock into the pan and scrape all the sticky bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Bring the stock to a simmer and cook reduce by half. Add the peas and herbs and cook for a few minutes until the peas are tender. Add the cold butter and stir until amalgamated into the sauce.
Remove the chicken from the oven and add the thighs to the pan with the peas, pouring over any juices on the tray. Stir and season with salt and pepper, then serve.
(Original recipe from Tom Kerridge Cooks Britain, Bloomsbury, 2024.)
Jono & Jules do food & wine 
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