Chicken and choucroute garnie

Method

1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a casserole over a medium heat. Add the chicken, skin-side down, and cook for around 5 minutes until golden brown but not yet cooked through. Flip and cook for another 5 minutes to brown on the other side, then transfer to a plate, reserving the fat in the pan.
2. Add the bacon and gently fry until crisp and very lightly coloured; 3-5 minutes should do. Add the butter, carrot and onion, then cook for around 10 minutes over a low-medium heat until softened and sweet. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes more until fragrant. Add the sauerkraut and stir well.
3. Add the stock, wine, bay, juniper, caraway and star anise, then nestle the chicken thighs back into the sauerkraut. Cover with a sheet of baking paper (if you like, cut it into a circle – known as a cartouche – just larger than the pan) and put a lid on the pan.
4. Braise the chicken for 20–25 minutes until all the liquid in the pan has been absorbed and the chicken is fully cooked through. Finish by checking the seasoning, adding salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the crème fraîche (if using) and strew with the parsley. Serve with mustard.