Recipe: roasting-tin chicken with fennel and citrus by Bee Wilson
A roasting-tin recipe with sweet and sour flavours
 
This recipe, adapted from one found in "Bitter Honey", Letitia Clark’s marvellous book about Sardinian food, is one of my most made roasting-tin meals, said Bee Wilson. I find it both comforting and uplifting. The chicken thighs are roasted with fennel, white wine, citrus and Dijon. As it cooks, the fennel is impregnated with the wine and chicken fat until it becomes meaty and sweet and sour.
Ingredients: makes 2 portions
- Zest and juice of 1 unwaxed lemon and 1 unwaxed orange
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 200ml white wine
- 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 3 fennel bulbs, fronds reserved, bulbs cut into wedges
- a handful of fat green olives
Method
- If you are feeling organised, start the day before or a few hours ahead. Whisk together the citrus juice and zest, Dijon, olive oil, fennel seeds, wine and 1 tsp of sea salt and put into a freezer bag along with the chicken.
- Chill for a couple of hours or up to 12 hours. This will help to tenderise the chicken. But in all honesty, I’ve often forgotten to do this and it still tastes great.
- Either way, take out of the bag (if using) and put the chicken and all the marinade ingredients into a roasting tin. Slice the fennel bulbs into wedges and add them, along with the olives. Put into the oven and switch the oven on to 200°C fan for an hour, or until the fennel is meltingly soft and the chicken is bronzed (check after 45 minutes).
- Taste the sauce for seasoning. If the wine has evaporated away, splash some water into the pan to make a simple gravy.
- Again, taste for seasoning. It shouldn’t need much, because of all that citrus and wine. Eat with some crunchy green fennel fronds on top and good bread for mopping.
- Tip: if you decide to scale this up when cooking for more people – which is a great idea – don’t scale up the liquid too much or the chicken will drown in it. For example, if you triple the amount of chicken, it’s best to only double the liquid.
Taken from "The Secret of Cooking: Recipes for an Easier Life" in the Kitchen by Bee Wilson, published by Fourth Estate at £28. To buy from The Week Bookshop for £21.99 (incl. p&p), visit theweekbookshop.co.uk.
Sign up for The Week's Food & Drink newsletter for recipes, reviews and recommendations.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
 
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
- 
 Testosterone therapy in women highlights the lack of women’s health research Testosterone therapy in women highlights the lack of women’s health researchThe explainer There is no FDA-approved testosterone product for women 
- 
 Magazine solutions - November 7, 2025 Magazine solutions - November 7, 2025Puzzles and Quizzes Issue - November 7, 2025 
- 
 Magazine printables - November 7, 2025 Magazine printables - November 7, 2025Puzzles and Quizzes Issue - November 7, 2025 
- 
 6 trailside homes for hikers 6 trailside homes for hikersFeature Featuring a roof deck with skyline views in California and a home with access to private trails in Montana 
- 
 Lazarus: Harlan Coben’s ‘embarrassingly compelling’ thriller Lazarus: Harlan Coben’s ‘embarrassingly compelling’ thrillerThe Week Recommends Bill Nighy and Sam Claflin play father-and-son psychiatrists in this ‘precision-engineered’ crime drama 
- 
 The Rose Field: a ‘nail-biting’ end to The Book of Dust series The Rose Field: a ‘nail-biting’ end to The Book of Dust seriesThe Week Recommends Philip Pullman’s superb new novel brings the trilogy to a ‘fitting’ conclusion 
- 
 Nigerian Modernism: an ‘entrancing, enlightening exhibition’ Nigerian Modernism: an ‘entrancing, enlightening exhibition’The Week Recommends Tate Modern’s ‘revelatory’ show includes 250 works examining Nigerian art pre- and post independence 
- 
 The Mastermind: Josh O’Connor stars in unconventional art heist movie The Mastermind: Josh O’Connor stars in unconventional art heist movieThe Week Recommends Kelly Reichardt cements her status as the ‘queen of slow cinema’ with her latest film 
- 
 Critics’ choice: Watering holes for gourmands Critics’ choice: Watering holes for gourmandsFeature An endless selection of Mexican spirits, a Dublin-inspired bar, and an upscale Baltimore pub 
- 
 Film reviews: Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere, If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, Frankenstein, and Blue Moon Film reviews: Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere, If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, Frankenstein, and Blue MoonFeature A rock star on the rise turns inward, a stressed mother begins to unravel, and more 
- 
 Beth Macy’s 6 favorite books about living in a divided nation Beth Macy’s 6 favorite books about living in a divided nationFeature The journalist recommends works by Nicholas Buccola, Matthew Desmond, and more