Roasting-tin chicken with fennel and citrus

This, adapted from Bitter Honey by Letitia Clark (a cookbook of Sardinian food which helped keep me sane during the first lockdown), is one of my most made roasting-tin (AKA sheet pan) meals. I find it comforting and uplifting at the same time.

Many of you who have bought THE SECRET OF COOKING have told me that it has become one of your most-cooked recipes in the book so I thought I would include it here.

One of the mysteries of this recipe which I don't discuss in the book is that it comes out beautifully rich in flavour even though it doesn't contain a trace of either onion or garlic. I think it's the dijon mustard that does it. Also the orange and lemon zest, which makes almost anything taste better. I mention this here because I know that many people can't eat onions or garlic so if this is you, this could be a useful recipe.

Crispy skin on chicken thighs cook in a tray with fennel (both seeds and vegetable), white wine, citrus and dijon mustard. The fennel becomes impregnated with the wine and the chicken fat until it is meaty and sweet and sour.

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. If you triple the amount of chicken, only double the liquid.

Makes 2 portions
unwaxed lemon zest and juice of 1
unwaxed orange zest and juice of 1
dijon mustard 2 tsp
extra virgin olive oil 2 tbsp
fennel seeds 1 tsp
white wine 200ml
chicken thighs 4, bone in, skin on
fennel bulbs 3, fronds reserved, bulbs cut into wedges
fat green olives a handful

If you are feeling organised, start the day before or a few hours ahead. Whisk together the citrus juice and zest, dijon mustard, olive oil, fennel seeds, wine and 1 teaspoon 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, 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 it on to 200C fan/gas mark 7 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 all evaporated away, splash some water into the pan to make a simple gravy. Taste again 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.