Nigel Slater's Chicken Thighs with Fennel and Leek

Nigel Slater's recipes always seem really simple and earthy; this is the first one I have tried and I was really impressed. The fresh flavours of the fennel and leek really lift the chicken and create an amazing flavoured sauce cooked down in some stock. I added a spoonful of crême fraiche at the very end, just to thicken the sauce ever so slightly but it's completely up to you if you want to keep things simple. Some people aren't too keen on using chicken thighs but cooked in the right way, they really can be delicious. They are also a lot cheaper than the breast meat and don't dry out so quickly!  One more tip, don't go too mad on the lemon juice, you want the dish to be on the right side of tangy and fresh.

Ingredients Serves 1 

2 chicken thighs  | 1 small leek and fennel bulb  | 1/2 lemon | 250-300ml chicken stock | handful finely chopped parsley | salt and pepper to season | spoonful cr ême fraiche (optional) 

Season your chicken thighs and brown off in a large shallow pan. Meanwhile slice your leeks into rings (make sure they are washed properly) and add to the pan. 

Slice your fennel bulb and again add to the pan stirring for about 5 minutes to soften, making sure the heat isn't too high that the vegetables burn. 

Add your chicken stock  and a good squeeze of lemon juice to the pan and cook for a further 25 minutes letting the stock simmer down. If you don't think there is enough liquid you can always add a splash of water accordingly. After 25 minutes, check your chicken is cooked through by slicing into the thickest part of the meat. 

If so, place the chicken to one side, add the parsley and cr ême fraiche and stir. Serve immediately placing the chicken thighs on top. Serve with bread, floury potatoes or rice to soak up that lovely sauce!