Fennel and white wine pot-roast chicken

Name: Fennel and white wine pot-roast chicken
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Total time: 1 h 45 min
Yield: Serves 6
Ingredients: 1 large top-quality free-range chicken (about 2kg); 50g unsalted butter; 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra to drizzle; 6 banana shallots, peeled but left whole; 1 tsp fennel seeds; 2 fresh rosemary sprigs; 1 bay leaf; 2 fennel bulbs, trimmed and cut into large chunks, fronds reserved; 200ml dry white wine; 500ml good quality chicken stock, preferably fresh; You’ll also need…; Large flameproof casserole with a lid, large enough to fit the chicken

Published: 8 Oct 18
Updated: 18 Mar 24

Test kitchen approved

This easy pot-roast chicken is sweet from the shallots and bursting with the comforting richness of meat cooked in wine and butter. Serve with new potatoes and greens for an easy Sunday lunch – or why not make it to spoil your mum on Mother’s Day?.

Or, opt for something with a little more heat and try our spiced harissa and honey roast chicken recipe.

Serves 6
Hands-on time 15-20 min, oven time 1 hour 30 min

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Ingredients

1 large top-quality free-range chicken (about 2kg)
50g unsalted butter
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra to drizzle
6 banana shallots, peeled but left whole
1 tsp fennel seeds
2 fresh rosemary sprigs
1 bay leaf
2 fennel bulbs, trimmed and cut into large chunks, fronds reserved
200ml dry white wine
500ml good quality chicken stock, preferably fresh

You’ll also need…

Large flameproof casserole with a lid, large enough to fit the chicken

Method

Remove the chicken from the fridge 30 minutes before cooking to take off the chill. Heat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6.
Heat the butter and oil in the casserole over a low-medium heat. Add the shallots and fennel seeds and cook, stirring, until they start to colour. Add the herbs and chopped fennel and cook for 10 minutes.
Add the chicken and the wine and bubble for 5 minutes, then pour in the chicken stock (it should come halfway up the chicken). Bring to the boil, then cover with the lid and cook in the oven for 1 hour.
After 1 hour, remove the lid, drizzle the chicken skin with olive oil, grind over some black pepper and sprinkle over a little flaked salt. Cook for a further 30 minutes, uncovered, until the skin is golden. Remove the chicken and leave to rest on a carving board. Season the fennel and shallot broth to taste. Carve the bird and serve in shallow bowls with the broth spooned over and scattered with fennel fronds.

Recipe from June 2018 Issue

Nutrition

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 409kcals
Fat: 19.3g (7.1g saturated)
Protein: 49.8g
Carbohydrates: 2g (1.8g sugars)
Fibre: 2.1g
Salt: 0.7g

delicious. tips

This is excellent served with dollops of garlicky aïoli and a warmed baguette. To make a quick aïoli, stir crushed garlic into good quality shop-bought mayonnaise and season to taste.

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Fennel and white wine pot-roast chicken

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