Chicken thighs with mustard & leeks (pollo con senape e porri)

When I was growing up, we always had Dijon mustard in the fridge, mainly to eat with boiled meats, pork sausages or ham, said Paola Bacchia. But Mamma also paired it with chicken, garlic and wine in a dish she cooked in her electric frying pan. I used to think it contained cream, as the sauce was so creamy – but, in fact, it didn't. The leeks are my addition, and make an ideal bed for the chicken thighs. This dish is lovely with mashed potatoes, polenta or even bread – anything that will catch the delicious sauce.

Ingredients

• 2 large leeks
• 6 chicken thighs, skin on and bone in
• 2tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 80ml white wine or dry white vermouth
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 15g butter 
• 2 heaped tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1tsp dried thyme
• 200ml good-quality chicken stock
• a squeeze of lemon juice

Method

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• Preheat the oven to 160°C fan. Finely slice the white and pale green stem of the leeks, discarding the roots and tough darker-green leaves. Soak the leek slices in a large bowl of water, massaging them briefly with your fingers to dislodge any dirt stuck in the layers. Drain and set aside.
• Prepare the chicken thighs by scattering on salt and freshly cracked black pepper. In a frying pan large enough to fit all the chicken in a single layer, warm the olive oil over a medium-high heat. Place the chicken in the pan, skin-side down. Fry for about 5 mins, until the skin is golden. Carefully flip the chicken over and fry the other side for about 4 mins, until it browns. Increase the heat, pour in the wine and allow it to partially evaporate for a few minutes. Leaving the juices in the pan, lift out the chicken pieces and transfer to a large baking dish.
• Reduce the hob heat to medium. Add the leek slices, garlic and butter to the pan. Stir in the mustard and thyme, then pour in the stock and season with salt and pepper. Braise the leek, uncovered, for about 15 mins, stirring every now and then.
• Pour the saucy leeks over and around the chicken. Cover with a lid or foil. Transfer to the oven and bake for 45 mins. Remove the lid or foil and bake for a further 20 mins, or until the chicken is nicely roasted and cooked through.
• Allow the dish to rest for a few minutes before serving with a squeeze of lemon juice.

Taken from At Nonna’s Table by Paola Bacchia, published by Smith Street Books at £26. Photography by Paola Bacchia. To buy from The Week Bookshop for £20.99 (incl. p&p), call 020-3176 3835 or visit theweekbookshop.co.uk.

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