Description
Succulent chicken thighs cooked to crispy perfection and finished in the oven, served with a luscious mustard, tarragon, and grape cream sauce that balances tangy, sweet, and herbaceous flavors for an elegant yet comforting meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 6-8 chicken thighs, skin-on and bone-in
- Dash of vegetable oil
- Salt, to taste
Sauce
- Knob of unsalted butter
- 1 large shallot, finely sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, finely sliced
- 100g white wine
- 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
- 100g good quality chicken stock
- 150ml single cream
- 100g white grapes, halved lengthways
- 3 large tarragon sprigs, leaves picked and chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Set your oven to 180°C fan/gas mark 6 to preheat while preparing the chicken and sauce.
- Sear the Chicken: Heat a large stainless steel frying pan over medium-high heat and add a dash of vegetable oil. Season the chicken thighs with salt and place them skin-side down in the pan. Cook undisturbed for 7-10 minutes until the skin is very crisp and golden, pressing gently with a spatula if some areas brown slower.
- Bake the Chicken: Transfer the seared chicken thighs skin-side up into a baking dish and cook in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes until fully cooked through, adjusting time based on thigh size.
- Prepare the Sauce: Using the same frying pan (do not clean it), add a knob of unsalted butter along with the finely sliced shallot and garlic. Gently cook for 3-5 minutes over medium heat until softened but not browned.
- Deglaze the Pan: Pour in the white wine and scrape the fond from the bottom of the pan to incorporate all the browned bits. Allow the wine to simmer and reduce by half, about 3 minutes.
- Build the Sauce: Stir in wholegrain mustard and chicken stock. Continue reducing the mixture by half, approximately 5 minutes, then add the single cream and reduce to your desired sauce consistency.
- Finish the Sauce: Gently fold in the halved white grapes and season the sauce with salt to taste. Stir through fresh chopped tarragon leaves for an aromatic finish.
- Combine and Serve: Return the cooked chicken thighs to the pan, nestling them into the sauce. Serve immediately, paired with steamed green vegetables and your choice of roast potatoes or rice for a complete meal.
Notes
- For crispier skin, avoid moving the chicken too much while searing.
- Use a good quality white wine and chicken stock for a richer sauce.
- The sauce can be adjusted in thickness by further reducing the cream or adding a splash more stock if needed.
- Fresh tarragon is preferred, but dried tarragon can be used in a pinch.
- Pairing with roast potatoes or rice complements the creamy sauce well.
- Leftover chicken and sauce can be refrigerated and gently reheated.
