Mustard Chicken Stew

Ingredients for Mustard Chicken Stew

• 1 whole head garlic

• Extra virgin olive oil

• Fine sea salt and freshly ground pepper

• One 3- to 1.6kg whole free-range chicken, cut in 8 serving pieces (2 breasts, 2 thighs, 2 wings, and 2 drumsticks, with bones and skin), thawed if frozen

• 6 medium red onions, about 900g One 28- to 900g can good-quality whole peeled tomatoes, drained

• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme

• 2 bay leaves

• A good pinch of ground chilli powder

• 80ml dry white wine

• 45ml old-fashioned Dijon mustard with whole mustard seeds (substitute 35g regular Dijon mustard)

1. Preheat the oven to 204°C.

2. Peel the outer layers of skin from the head of garlic until you reach the individual cloves. Slice off the top of the head so the flesh of each clove is exposed. Put the head of garlic on a sheet of foil, drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and close the foil into a pouch. Bake for 45 minutes, until the flesh of each clove is light brown and very soft when tested with the tip of a knife.

3. Once you've slipped the garlic into the oven, heat 1 teaspoon olive oil over medium heat in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven. Working in two batches, arrange the chicken in the pot, skin side down, in a single layer. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 3 minutes on each side, until golden. (Be careful not to burn yourself with the sizzling chicken fat.)

4. While the chicken is browning, peel and quarter the onions. Set the meat aside on a plate and pour out the excess chicken fat. Put the onions in the pot and cook for 5 minutes, until softened, stirring regularly.

5. Add the tomatoes, thyme, bay leaves, and ground chilli powder, and arrange the chicken over the vegetables. Pour in the wine and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook over medium-low heat for 40 minutes, stirring from time to time to make sure the vegetables don’t stick to the bottom.

6. Remove the garlic from the oven, open the pouch, and let stand until cool enough to handle. Squeeze the garlic out of each clove into a small bowl, and mash with a fork to form a paste. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Cover and set aside.

7. When the chicken is cooked, spoon the mustard in the pot and stir to blend into the sauce. Turn the heat up to medium-high and cook uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring regularly, until the sauce is thick enough to cling to the meat. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning.

8. Cover and keep over low heat until ready to serve. Serve over rice or pasta (fish out the bay leaves, or simply tell your dining companions not to eat them), with garlic paste on the side. The stew and garlic can be prepared up to a day ahead, covered, and refrigerated. Reheat the stew over gentle heat, and bring the garlic paste to room temperature before serving. The leftover sauce from the stew is splendid on pasta.

Clause de non-responsabilité

While every effort has been made to ensure the information is accurate and up to date, individual needs may vary and dietary requirements can differ based on personal health conditions. Always check food labels and allergen information before preparing or consuming any recipe. If you have specific health concerns, allergies, intolerances, or are following a medically prescribed diet, seek advice from your GP, pharmacist, or a registered dietitian before making significant changes to your diet or lifestyle.