Mon 'Sherry'…Chicken

With the nights starting to get that bit cooler I have really started to yearn for something warm and comforting for dinner and going through one of mum's old recipe books, I came across a great little find that tantalised my taste buds.

I love chicken. It's affordable and tasty but sometimes I can get in a bit of a rut with what to do with it. But sifting through an old recipe book my mum had given me last year, this dish seemed to have great flavours and be rather simple to cook up.

I was really excited to give it a whirl but what I hadn't expected or predicted is that it would go down so well with Dan to! I love it when we find dishes we enjoy as a couple. It makes cooking so much easier! 

If you fancy having a go at this culinary delight, pick up an old copy of Delia Smith's Summer Collection (circa 1993) or follow me below.

To make you'll need:

• 4 - 8 chicken pieces, boned or breast, up to you
• 150ml Sherry vinegar
• 425ml medium-dry sherry (yep that's a lot of Sherry)
• 6 - 10 shallots (I choose to cut mine in half but whatever floats your boat)
• 4 garlic cloves (again Delia kept hers whole but I like to live on the wild side and sliced it up a bit)
• fresh tarragon leaves - as many as you feel

I started off by browning the chicken in a pan. I used thighs as I love chicken on the bone and think when you're cooking in a sauce its so much better, but that's personal preference. They were quite big pieces so I had to do two rounds to ensure they all had the space required but once the skin was nicely golden they were removed from the pan and the process repeated.

Once the chicken was golden, it was set aside and next it was time to create some flavour. This meant adding some shallots and garlic into the frying pan and browning before adding in some tarragon blades which just give off the best scent ever. 

These were cooked until the shallots were soft and then the chicken was transferred back to the pans before pouring in the Sherry and Sherry vinegar and cooked on a high heat for around 5mins before turning the heat right down and simmering the chicken on a low heat for 45mins until the liquid has started to thicken and reduce. Half way through, remember to turn your chicken.

Now it's up to you what you have to accompany your dish but I chose simple new potatoes cut into halves and roasted in the oven for 45 mins. 

Once your dish is complete, remove the chicken and stir in a dollop of crème fraîche to take some of the bitterness out of the sauce. Plate up your meal and serve.  

 P.s I can hear your tummy rumbling from here - get to the kitchen and get cooking pronto!