La Verde olives season this dish with a delicate saltiness, they explode with juicy flavour in a rich tarragon mustard sauce and help cut through the rich cream. It’s a serious comfort food recipe and perfect for the whole family.
Created by James Strawbridge, he reminisces “the baked chicken breast, onions and garlic are a twist on a Breton food memory. I remember trying Coq au vin when I was on hoiday around Heulgoat in Brittany and being struck by the simplicity and perfect balance of flavour. This is my twist on that classic French dish using cidre instead of wine and plenty of olives”.
Ingredients
4 chicken breasts, skin on
230g La Verde olives
50g butter
1 tbsp olive oil
4 cloves of garlic
2 onions, roughly chopped
2 sticks of celery, finely sliced
1 tsp thyme, finely chopped
1 tsp wholegrain mustard
1 tsp Dijon Mustard
1 tbsp flour
100ml cidre
250ml double cream
2 tbsp tarragon, chopped
Pinch of sea salt and cracked black pepper
Method
Preheat your oven to 180˚C. Roughly chop your chicken and drizzle with oil. Season and place into a frying pan skin side down. Cook for 4-5 mins until the skin starts to crisp ad turn golden in colour. Add butter, garlic, thyme, celery, onion and then sear the chicken breast on all sides. Remove the chicken from the pan and leave to one side.
Then cook the vegetables for 5-10 mins. Add wholegrain mustard, Dijon and plain flour and cook out for 2-3 mins. Deglaze the pan with cider and finish by adding in the olives and cream.
Transfer all ingredients to a roasting tray or casserole dish and place the chicken back in with your sauce and olives. Cook for 12-15 mins and serve with cauliflower rice or new potatoes.