Chicken with sauerkraut, bacon & apples

Name: Chicken with sauerkraut, bacon & apples
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 2 kg chicken, jointed into 8 pieces; 2 tbsp sunflower oil; 2 onions, finely sliced; 350 g white cabbage, core removed, roughly chopped; 2 sticks celery, finely chopped (include any celery leaves); 2 tsp caraway seeds; 1 tsp juniper berries, crushed; 1 tsp whole allspice, pounded; 2 cloves garlic, grated to a purée; 350 g sauerkraut (drained weight); 500 ml chicken stock; 200 ml cider or apple juice; 3 bay leaves; 6 sprigs thyme, plus extra to serve; 30 g unsalted butter; 200 g pack smoked or unsmoked bacon lardons; 2 dessert apples, halved, cored and cut into slices (they can be peeled or unpeeled); 1 tbsp caster sugar

A delicious dish from Diana Henry for autumn. Team it with her hasselback potatoes with paprika and caraway seeds.

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Serves6
CourseMain meal
Prepare20 mins
Cook50 mins
Total time1 hr 10 mins

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2kg chicken, jointed into 8 pieces
2 tbsp sunflower oil
2 onions, finely sliced
350g white cabbage, core removed, roughly chopped
2 sticks celery, finely chopped (include any celery leaves)
2 tsp caraway seeds
1 tsp juniper berries, crushed
1 tsp whole allspice, pounded
2 cloves garlic, grated to a purée
350g sauerkraut (drained weight)
500ml chicken stock
200ml cider or apple juice
3 bay leaves
6 sprigs thyme, plus extra to serve
30g unsalted butter
⅔ x 200g pack smoked or unsmoked bacon lardons
2 dessert apples, halved, cored and cut into slices (they can be peeled or unpeeled)
1 tbsp caster sugar

Trim the chicken of excess skin and season. Heat the oil in a large casserole, brown the pieces all over in batches, then lift out into in a bowl. Drain off all but 2 tbsp of the fat left in the pan.
Sauté the onions, cabbage and celery in the fat until pale gold. Add the spices, garlic, sauerkraut, stock, cider or apple juice, bay leaves and thyme. Put the chicken back in, including the juices that have run out. Season and bring to a simmer.
Cover the pan with a lid, partly open at one side. Cook over a gentle heat for 40 minutes. Remove the lid about halfway so the juices can reduce. The chicken should be tender and cooked through, with no pink meat and juices that run clear. Remove to a plate and simmer the juices until reduced and not ‘brothy’
Heat 10g butter in a large frying pan and cook the bacon until golden all over. Add it to the cabbage and sauerkraut. Heat the remaining butter and add the apples (in batches, if necessary). Sauté gently until buttery, sprinkling over the sugar to help the flesh caramelise. Don’t let the apple get too soft.
Put the chicken back into the pan, cook until piping hot, then add the apples. Scatter with extra thyme leaves to garnish and serve with the Hasselback potatoes.

Typical values per serving when made using specific products in recipe