This is a perfect dinner-party meal of chicken thighs or legs dusted in flour and roasted with shallots, lemons and garlic in vermouth and under a mantle of Herbes de Provence.
They go crisp in the heat above the fat, while the shallots and garlic melt into sweetness below.
You could serve with rice, but I prefer a green salad with crusty bread
to mop up the sauce.
INGREDIENTS
4 chicken legs or 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
2 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
7 - 8 tbsp (65-95gr) plain flour
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp Herbes de Provence
1 lemon, quartered
8-10 cloves garlic, peeled and lightly crushed
4-6 medium-size shallots, peeled and halved
⅓ cup (75 ml) dry vermouth
4 sprigs of thyme parsley or other green herb, for serving
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C/Gas 6
Season the chicken with salt and pepper
Put the flour in a shallow pan, and lightly dredge the chicken in it, shaking the pieces to remove excess flour
Pour the oil in a large roasting pan, and place the floured chicken in it
Season the chicken with the Herbes de Provence.
Arrange the lemons, garlic cloves and shallots around the chicken, and then add the vermouth to the pan
Put the pan in the oven, and roast for 25 to 30 minutes, then baste it with the pan juices
Continue roasting for an additional 25 to 30 minutes, or until the chicken is very crisp and the meat cooked through. Keep checking at this stage to ensure that the chicken does not overcook. The core temperature of the chicken should be 165°F/75°C.
Serve in the
pan or on a warmed platter, and garnish.