… a little mid-week Belleau Kitchen relief to lift the spirit…
… and before you bang on about me using chicken thighs AGAIN… they are cheap, packed with flavour and I am trying to present a different recipe every time…
It’s funny how tastes change over the years isn’t it? I used to loath anything even vaguely resembling aniseed or liquorish but now, although i’m still not a huge fan of the confectionary itself I love aniseed flavour in cooking …fennel …star anise …chicory … and most of all the deep heady aroma of Pernod! … this dish is good without it but it’s seriously spectacular with it and turns an ordinarily suburban dish into something a little bit inner-city…. naughty!
… oh and this dish may seem a bit laborious but actually its really simple and it’s well worth it … plus you can always do one bit in the morning before work and finish it off in the evening when you get home… that’s what i did anyway…
Pernod Chicken
6 chicken thighs (oh how I love my chicken thighs)
1 onion – roughly chopped
1 carrot – roughly chopped
1 small leek – roughly chopped
a few button mushrooms
4 garlic cloves (whole with skin on… who can be bothered?)
2 glasses of white wine
half a pint of water
a splash of Pernod
seasoning
If you’re doing this in the morning let’s make this really easy shall we and prep everything up front so we’re ready to go… and to make this extra easy you need to use one of those pans you can transfer from stove top to oven… it saves time and effort (always the best combo in my book!)
– heat up a large pan on the stove, add some oil and brown the chicken thighs till golden, remove from the pan and set aside
– saute the rest of the veg in the chicken juices and oil till brown and sticky, add some fresh herbs of choice then return the chicken to the pan add the wine and Pernod and enough water to barely cover the chicken, cover the pan with its lid and then simmer for an hour – don’t forget to turn off the hob when you leave the house for work.
– when you come home turn the oven on to it’s highest, take the lid off the pan and place it into the oven for 30 mins till the chicken is golden and the stock has reduced to an incredible unctuous gravy… you will not regret making this dish… I promise!
eat and of course, enjoy!
… and don’t forget to enter into my Lincolnshire hamper giveaway!
Now liquorish is not my most fave flavour in the world but even I think this sounds yummy!
I love chicken thighs, no complaints on using them lots from me.
But I can't do pernod anymore, not since an incident with ouzo, in Crete, when I was about 17 or 18. Put me off everything aniseed for life.
The more chicken thighs the merrier say I! Like Kavey, I can't drink pernod/ouzo anything of the aniseed booze family, but sounds delish with chicken x
Thighs are my favourite part of the chicken so I'm not complaining.
I never tried Pernod so I don't know what to expect. Is it like sambuca? If yes, I love it. Sambuca shots, anyone?
No need to apologize for thighs! They are a deal and they are, IMHO, the tastiest part of the chicken! I, too, had a run-in with Ouzo at a tender age, but I've gotten over the queasiness. In moderation, and particularly in recipes, a bit of anise flavor is wonderful!
Well done on this tipsy chicken, Dom! Sounds wonderful!
chicken thighs are totally the way to go!! only praise from me….oh and drooling…i much prefer thighs…tasty, cheap and so much easier to cook!! looks yummy, sounds yummy!!! 🙂
Who doesn't love a nice thigh?
I buy boneless, skinless thighs all the time. So much more reasonable that boneless chicken breast. I like pernod, it is also wonderful with clams or mussels. Great chicken recipe as usual.
The thighs are the best part! so much flavor. I love the idea of an anise flavor with the rich flavor of chicken thighs, now I'm hungry. thank you.
Well you're all so kind, thank you…
I agree that Pernod is an acquired taste but well worth it here.
I totally forgot about Ouzo! I too had a dreadful Ouzo night in Grease many years back so Kavey you are nit alone. Although clearly mine didn't scar me in quite the way yours did!
I can't believe i just spelt Greece like Grease… I'm really laughing out loud!!! Must concentrate more!!!
I don't like drinking it straight but I can really imagine this would work well with chicken and fennel. Wondering whether I can justify clogging up my bursting cupboard with a bottle? Obviously I will need to drink something else to make space 🙂
lovely idea – I can see this being a delicious combination, if I remember will pick up a bottle! And, bring on the chicken thighs, the best part (apart from the oyster) I say. x
I so wish I could pop over for dinner!!!!
I know what curiosity did to the cat – but tell us more about the new button/challenge!!!
this recipe is going in the book, my friend….looks perfect..
and isn't Teddy just the cutest…i think so too…
happy to visit today..as always
kary and teddy
xxx
This looks delicious. I always have a bag of chicken thighs in the freezer. I'll give this a go! Thanks for your kind comment on my blog. x
This looks fab – I love chicken thighs – far more flavour!
Nice, I really like this recipe. So easy and packed with anise flavour to give the dish more complexity, bravo.
I agree with you on the Pernod thing . . . it used to remind me of rather drunken nights out with friends when I was a student . . . many of them drank a rather nasty concoction which consisted of a pint of cider with a pernod and blackcurrant thrown in . . . even the thought of it now makes me feel faint! But you're right about tastes changing . . . I have started using Pernod in cooking (great with fish) for a subtle aniseed flavour . . . definitely giving this one a try. Thanks Dom!
wow the recipe looks really amazing, I haven't tasted this yet, but I would like to try this recipe on my next adventure in my kitchen, thanks for the recipe,